Art & Design

Statement of Intent, Implementation, and Impact – Art and Design

Intent 

At St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School we are committed to providing all children with learning opportunities to engage in art and design.

The purpose of Art and Design education is to give pupils the skills, concepts and knowledge necessary for them to express their responses to ideas and experiences in a visual or tactile form. Art and Design fires their imagination and is a fundamental means of personal expression.

While it is essentially a practical subject, art should provide opportunities for reflection and, with increasing sensitivity, pupils should acquire the ability to make informed, critical responses to their own work and that of others.

There is great pleasure to be derived from Art and Design and, through deeper understanding; pupils can gain access to cultural richness and diversity. The appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enriches all our lives.

Implementation

The children undertake a balanced programme that takes account of abilities, aptitudes and physical, emotional and intellectual development. Through Art and Design, the children learn a range of skills, concepts, attitudes, techniques and methods of working.

Early Years

During the Early Years, young children will be given the opportunity to explore colour, texture, shape and form in two and three dimensions. The children will have access to a wide range of constructions, collage, painting and drawing activities, using appropriate tools and art materials. In order to tap their artistic potential, the children will be encouraged to develop their own creative ideas.

Key Stage 1

During Key Stage 1, Art and Design is about expanding children’s creativity and imagination through providing art, craft and design activities relating to the children’s own identity and experiences, to natural and manufactured objects and materials with which they are familiar, and the locality in which they live.

• Children will explore the visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes and begin to understand and use colour, shape and space, pattern and texture, to represent their own ideas and feelings.
• Children will focus on the work of artists, craftspeople and designers by asking and answering questions, such as: ‘What is it like?’ ‘What do I think about it?’

Key Stage 2

During Key Stage 2, Art and Design is about fostering children’s creativity and imagination by building on their knowledge, skills and understanding of materials and processes, through providing more complex activities. Children’s experiences help them to understand the diverse roles and functions of Art and Design in the world around them.

Impact

The teaching of Art and Design impacts on our children in a variety of ways.

• By encouraging creativity and self-expression
• By increasing knowledge of a range of artists and their work, contributing to cultural capital
• By developing an appreciation for the work of others
• By encouraging children to think creatively and solve problems
• By enhancing fine motor skills, hand-eye co-ordination, lateral thinking, complex analysis and critical thinking skills
• By instilling discipline, developing resilience and skills that enable children to keep on trying, experimenting, evaluating and updating until they are content with the final product