Intent – What we aim to achieve?

“All schools should be art schools.” Bob and Roberta Smith

At St. Patrick’s, we believe that art is a vital part of children’s education. We strive to stimulate children’s creativity and imagination and develop children’s awareness that art offers a unique way of responding to the world. We encourage children to experiment and explore art using their sketchbooks to record and develop their ideas. Consequently, we also develop children’s understanding of themselves as artists.

"But now, O Lord, you are Our Father; we are the clay, you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8

Our School Mission Statement is at the heart of our curriculum as we seek to, ‘serve, love, learn and inspire each other to excellence’ following the example of Jesus. Through a comprehensive study of a range of diverse local and global artists from the different paradigms of art, we develop children’s visual literacy skills, as well as an understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritage, securing knowledge of the history of art as well as deepening children's appreciation of the world around us. As pupils progress, they should gain a deeper understanding of how art reflects and shapes our history, and how it contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our world, thus contributing to our children’s cultural capital. We aim to ensure our children develop into responsible global citizens: to develop an awareness of the wider world, their place within it as well as how they can work together to make the world a better and more peaceful place for future generations. We hope that our children will become passionate about the planet and its people and understand how art can be used as a vehicle to promote equality, sustainability and stability in the world. Each unit of work reflects one of the Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles: Dignity, Creation and the Environment, Solidarity, The Dignity of Work and Participation, Peace, The Common Good  and Option for the Poor. Our curriculum map details the CST principle present in each unit of work. Scripture relevant to each topic has been identified to help children explore an artist or movement in the context of biblical teachings.

Our art curriculum is underpinned by the aims and content detailed in the National Curriculum. We teach children a range of artistic skills and knowledge (practical, theoretical and disciplinary) that build in complexity from EYFS to Year 6. Children will develop their knowledge of the visual language of art with effective teaching and lesson sequencing. We want our children to learn beyond simply “doing art”. We want our children’s experience of art to be broad and progressive so they learn more, remember more and do more with their learnt knowledge and skills over time.

“He who works with his hands is a labourer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.” Saint Francis of Assisi

Implementation – How do we achieve our aims?

EYFS

Children start on their art educational journey in the Early Years Foundation Stage. What children learn in EYFS is crucial knowledge for them to build on in the future. The knowledge and vocabulary that children develop, particularly through the Expressive Arts and Design and Physical Development areas of learning, enable them to access the art content at Key stage 1, where we begin our formal teaching of Art.

Key Stages 1 and 2
The art curriculum is divided into cycles of study: KS1, Lower KS2 and Upper KS2.

Within each cycle there are eight units of work consisting of:
- Two portraiture units from different paradigms (either traditional, modern or contemporary)
- One collage unit
- One painting unit
- One sculpture unit
- One printing unit
- One wellbeing (KS1) or activism (KS2) unit
- One ‘Art that Changed the World’ unit

“Let whoever may have attained to so much as to have the power of drawing know that he holds a great treasure.” Michelangelo

We recognise drawing as a vital skill in the advancement and development of human society. Therefore, drawing skills are taught and practised within all units of work. These skills are sequenced carefully to ensure gradual progression and then revisited to allow opportunities for practise and refinement.

Planning and Sequencing
The units of work in our Art and Design programme are focussed on a specific artist study. Within each unit, we also look at complimentary and contrasting artists from the different art paradigms (traditional, modern and contemporary) so our children build a secure schema of art and art history. Teachers follow our St. Patrick’s Art and Design lesson sequence: ‘The Art Process’ when delivering lessons within a topic.

The Art Process
The Art Process is a carefully designed lesson sequence that allows full coverage of the National Curriculum within each unit of study. Each lesson is focussed on an aspect of the creative art process and this focus is shared with the children at the beginning of each lesson.

1. Research
2. Experiment
3. Plan
4.Create
5. Reflect
 

SEND

“I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way –  things I had no words for.” Georgia O’Keeffe

All pupils, regardless of need, are entitled to an excellent art education. Lessons are carefully planned and resourced so that all children can access learning at an appropriate level that both engages them and challenges them. To ensure that all children are included, appropriate adaptive teaching strategies are implemented to support individuals’ needs. We appreciate that just because a child has special educational needs, this does not preclude them from being strong, creative, talented artists.

Assessment 

Teachers utilise both formative and summative assessment strategies in Art and Design at St. Patrick’s.

Formative Assessment (informal, timely, frequent, bitesize, continuous)
Regular discussions and carefully formulated questions are used to check children’s understanding. This continued dialogue between teacher and pupil is helpful for the acquisition of practical skills and knowledge. Formative assessment strategies also help teachers identify whether they need to adapt their teaching.

Summative Assessment (End of unit, formal, recorded)
A judgement (working towards, expected or greater depth) is made by the teacher for each of the aims of the National Curriculum (Generating Ideas, Making, Evaluating and Knowledge) within each topic. These judgements are reflective of the formative assessments conducted throughout the unit. They are not just based on the outcome of a single piece of work.

Sketchbooks

Children are provided with a sketchbook when they begin Year 1 which stays with them through school. This is a record of the development of their art skills and represents their journey through the subject of Art. These sketchbooks are entirely personal and are not to be thought of as an art exercise book. Children are encouraged to explore a range of ideas and techniques in their sketchbooks. Art activities in the EYFS are evidenced in Learning Journeys and through displays.

Vocabulary

Throughout their art lessons, children are introduced to the key vocabulary that is important to their learning. They are then encouraged to use this when discussing their own artwork and that of others.

Impact – How do we know if we’ve achieved our aims?

• Sketchbooks show a progression of taught skills and knowledge. (Book Looks, Attainment Data, Lesson Visits)

• Revisit and Review quizzes at the beginning and end of each topic to check children's retention of key learning. (Lesson Visits, Pupil Voice)

• Children can speak about what they have created using appropriate vocabulary. (Pupil Voice, Lesson Visits)

• Children appreciate that through history, art has been utilised in a variety of ways and that this continues to be so. (Book Looks, Pupil Voice)

• Children are able to talk about some of the artists whose work they have seen or explored. (Pupil Voice, Lesson Visits)

• Children’s sketchbooks demonstrate that they have explored a range of techniques and ideas. (Book Looks)

• Children acknowledge that they are each artists. (Pupil Voice)

Romare Bearden

Year 5 have been studying Romare Bearden and his famous use of collage to depict buildings in his work 'The Block'. After looking at different types and styles of buildings, mapping out their own ideas and experimenting with colour, the children created their own 'Block' using layers of collage.

February 2024 - Artist Visit

Maximum Effort Art Club's, Mark Stenson, came in to work with our Year 3 pupils today. We learned about Picasso's his life and work and how he has deeply influenced the art world. The children explored using different types of charcoal, painting in a cubist style as well as creating collage portraits.