Intent

At The Oaks, we value the importance of Art and Design. We believe that Art holds a significant and valuable role in the curriculum and should inspire, engage and challenge children to communicate what they see, think and feel. It is our intent to provide all children with the fundamental skills to be able to develop their individual creativity, express their ideas and work both individually and collaboratively with others. Children will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpting, as well as other selected craft skills, e.g. collage, printing, weaving and patterns. Here at The Oaks, we believe that children learn best through the process of experimentation, trial and error. Thus developing a positive growth mindset, an  important factor in finding enjoyment and satisfaction in the process of producing art. Our art lessons are carefully planned within each year group to ensure that children are appropriately challenged, inspired to develop their creativity and value the impact of art within their own lives. At The Oaks, children will develop their knowledge of a range of diverse artists, designers and craft makers which enable them to understand and explore their own and others cultural heritages.

Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at The Oaks is based on the National Curriculum and is carefully linked within our topics where applicable. This provides children with the opportunity to practice and develop mastery in the key processes of art as much as possible. This is supported through the studying of key artists both current and historical, which can be found in our long-term planning.

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at The Oaks is based on the National Curriculum and is carefully linked within our topics where applicable. This provides children with the opportunity to practice and develop mastery in the key processes of art as much as possible. This is supported through the studying of key artists both current and historical, which can be found in our long-term planning.

The children are taught Art as a discrete subject, alternating termly with Design and Technology. We ensure that progression is being made in children’s skills and knowledge of drawing, painting and mixed media, sculpture and 3D and craft and design by following the progression of knowledge and skills within our long-term plan: EYFS are explorers, Year 1 are embedders, Year 2 are experts!

Our children’s learning is further enriched with a whole school “Art Builders” event in the summer term where our pupils have the opportunity to work collaboratively across the school, which is often celebrated within the form of an installation.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have opportunities to learn to:

• Explore the textures, movement, feel and look of different media and materials
• Respond to a range of media and materials, develop their understanding of them in order to manipulate and create different effects.
• Use different media and materials to express their own ideas
• Explore colour and use for a particular purpose
• Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately
• Select appropriate media and techniques and adapt their work where necessary

Key stage 1

Pupils are taught:

• to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
• to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
• learn about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.

Curriculum Impact

The creativity of our pupils is celebrated through our environment. Classroom and communal displays of artwork enable our children to feel a sense of pride in their achievements as well as elevate the status of the subject within our school. Artwork is shared within our school and wider community through the use of Tapestry as well as our website, newsletter and Facebook feed. Our art curriculum at The Oaks contributes to our children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. We hope that as children move on from The Oaks to Minterne and their skills continue to grow and develop, they are aware that it is okay to make mistakes along their creative journey, they can think for themselves and will be critically aware of their own and others work. Children will have an understanding of how they can improve their work and know when to stop when they are proud of their outcome.

‘Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.’ – Mary Lou Cook

Our current form of assessment is through the use of sketchbooks. Sketchbooks are used termly to ensure children continue to apply and develop new skills and processes within drawing, painting, sculpture and other art and design techniques. Tapestry is another form of assessment used across the school to track children’s progress against the national curriculum objectives. Further information is gathered through pupil questionnaires, highlighting strengths, improvements and skills that need further embedding.