Art at Bewick Bridge

Art  is an important element in the broad and balanced curriculum that we provide at Bewick Bridge Community Primary School.  Our art programme engages, inspires and challenges pupils as it equips them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As our pupils progress from EYFS to year 6, they are encouraged to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. 

The aims of our art curriculum are to ensure that all pupils: 

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences 

• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques  

• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design  

• know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Intent

The intent of art lessons in Bewick Bridge is to enable children's cultural capital to flourish. We also aim to offer a structure and sequence of units to help teachers ensure they have covered the skills and knowledge required to meet the aims of the national curriculum.  Our intention is to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to  explore, record and produce creative, imaginative work  in a variety of techniques, including painting, drawing, 3D modelling and textiles, in a safe and nurturing environment. The lessons  foster an open-ended exploration of creativity as children are encouraged to take creative risks and to learn from the journey, rather than head towards a pre-defined end result. 

The intent is to sharpen the focus in lessons and enrichment activities on developing skills, knowledge and understanding specific to the subject. Opportunities for children to meet and work with artists and arts organisations (either online, in school or during a visit to a museum or gallery) are provided as the school develops links with the local community and art organisations in order to enrich children’s cultural capital. 

Implementation

Our curriculum overview, along with the skills progression, knowledge progression and vocabulary progression, help to give the teacher and adults leading art the confidence to plan for progression of learning and outcomes. The units focus on and develop techniques, including their control and use of their materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of the different kinds of art, craft and design.  Children’s interest and curiosity about art and design  will be developed by offering children the opportunity to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways including, when possible, meeting and working alongside visiting artists and visiting galleries and museums. Children will become confident and proficient in different art forms, drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking and working with textiles, as basic skills are introduced and then built upon. Skills are revisited and the use of ongoing sketchbook work underpins this process. The lessons will offer the chance for children to develop their emotional expression through art to further enhance their personal, social and emotional development. While in EYFS the focus of our lessons is to develop skills and confidence, children in KS1 and KS2 will explore the work of others and evaluate different creative ideas as they expand their knowledge of artists from different periods of time and cultures alongside designers and craft makers. 

Impact

Art learning is enjoyed by pupils and teachers across the school. Teachers have higher expectations and more quality evidence can be presented in a variety of ways. All children will use technical vocabulary accurately and children are expected to know, apply and understand skills and processes specified. Children will become more confident in analysing their work and giving their opinion on their own and others work of art.  All children in school can speak confidently about their art and design work and their skills.