Art

Curriculum Intent

At Henry Chadwick Primary School, Art and Design is an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. It provides the children with the opportunities to develop skills and to express and communicate their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.

Through our art and design education we intend to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. We intend to introduce them to and then practice and hone techniques and formal elements as well as using a range of mediums with which to work. This builds the pupils’ resilience to practice, re-work and produce a final piece as well as developing teamwork skills through collaborative learning opportunities.

As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design, be influenced by other artists- both traditional and contemporary- as well as being able to reflect on the meanings and themes of artists’ work and their place throughout history. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and how they contribute to the culture and creativity of society.

Curriculum Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Henry Chadwick Primary School is based on the National Curriculum and linked to topics to ensure a well-structured approach to this creative subject. The children are taught Art as part of their topic work and the work of a range of contemporary and traditional artists and cultures are explored to enhance the children’s learning.

Children build upon skills to practice, develop and build upon techniques during each year in a variety of activities linked to their topic. Each unit of work should result in an independent or collaborative final piece which is then evaluated and the children are encouraged to be self-reflective throughout the process. This encourages several of the learning powers we promote, such as resilience, teamwork and communication. All children are encouraged to express themselves and celebrate their creativity through the art and design units and additional opportunities that are chosen to enrich the curriculum during the year.

Impact

Children leave Henry Chadwick as artists. They can produce creative work that encompasses their own unique flair and expression as well as the styles and techniques of other inspiring artists. They are skilful designers and are able to draw, paint and sculpt using different mediums that they have explored. They are able to evaluate and reflect on their own work as well as the work of others using the specific language of art, craft and design and understand how designers, makers and artists have been influenced by cultures and history. Their sketch book shows their journey of development, self-expression and the studies of inspiring artists throughout history.