Art and Design

Intent, Implementation and Impact of Art and Design at Seascale School

Intent

The art and design curriculum at Seascale School aims to inspire pupils and develop their confidence to experiment and invent their own works of art. We use Kapow Primary’s art and design scheme, which is designed to support pupils to meet the National Curriculum end of key stage attainment targets, and has been written to cover the Art and Design progression competencies recommended by the National Society for Education in Art.

The Kapow scheme of work complements our long-term vision as an established Artsmark school, where we aim to inspire children to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture. At Seascale School, we aim to give pupils every opportunity to develop their ability, nurture their talent and interests, express their ideas and thoughts about the world, as well as to learn about the rich heritage and culture of the British Isles and the world beyond. We live in a region rich with a history of artists and craftspeople, where the landscape has inspired artists and makers in all media, and for both intimate and public enjoyment. This landscape continues to inspire new generations of makers and we aim to inspire our own children to find their love of materials and making.

In addition to curriculum-based teaching and learning, our aim is for all children to work in a meaningful way alongside professional practitioners at least once during their time in primary school. Through this work with practising artists, children have access to the arts within the wider context of work and the cultural industries. Our intent is to inspire, to build collaborative skills in project-based learning, and to raise aspirations for the application of creativity in work. 

Implementation

The National Curriculum aims for Art and Design are the focus of teaching throughout the scheme of work from Kapow:

• Generating ideas
• Using sketchbooks
• Making skills, including formal elements
• Knowledge of artists
• Evaluating and analysing

Skills and formal elements are taught discretely in teaching and learning units for Drawing; Painting and mixed media; Sculpture and 3D; and Craft and design.  We teach these units weekly or in blocked days or half days. We use a progression of skills model from Kapow to ensure attainment targets are met by the end of each key stage. Within many of the units, children are introduced to the work of artists in relation to the technique, theme or content of study. Lessons are always practical and, in KS2, children use sketchbooks to develop their ideas. Knowledge organisers are referenced to build knowledge of skills, techniques and terminology, as well as to provide a visual reference to the artists studied.

We enhance our National Curriculum offer with collaborative and often long-term arts projects with professional arts organisations, running often across age groups and across school years.

As an established Beach School and Forest School, we often work within our local landscape to create in space using found materials. Working outdoors in 3 dimensions, children explore the formal elements of art beyond the limitations of classroom-based mark-making, and it here that we often see skills being applied and creativity released.

Work is shared in high quality displays around school and is celebrated on our class pages of the website.

Impact

After enjoying our curriculum for art and design, children should leave primary school equipped with a range of techniques and the confidence and creativity to form a strong base for further learning.

Children will produce creative work where they explore their ideas, experiences and imagination. They will produce drawing, painting, sculpture and other craft and design, exploring a wide range of materials. They will learn subject-based terminology and language to aid their understanding and discussion of their own work and the work of others. They will learn of artists who have worked before them and who have honed their skills and experimented in new forms.

Children will meet the age-related expectations of the National Curriculum for Art and Design.

Early Years

Early years follow an educational programme for Expressive Arts and Design. The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. It is important that children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to and observe.