The Blue School aims to adhere to the new art curriculum, 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. By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
At The Blue School, children are given the opportunity to explore different artistic media and modelling materials from an early age and develop their creativity, as well as learning specific skills and techniques to enable them to undertake projects effectively. At The Blue school we aim to make Art and Design a stimulating and enjoyable experience. Children have access to a wide variety of resources and classrooms have an Art area which is well resourced with easy access to most materials. Children begin to use a sketch book (Key Stage Two) to collect ideas and information, and to record observational work. They review their own and others’ work and be able to identify the work of artists, crafts people and designers. As pupils progress, they should be able 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 (National Curriculum, September 2013).
In Art and Design, children learn to respond to the work of different artists and explore a range of techniques and media using sketch books before applying their skills to their own pictures or three-dimensional work. Local artists are involved where possible to support focus activities such as those leading up to whole school art exhibitions.
Art is taught at least once a term for a block of usually six or seven weeks. This subject is rotated with DT. Work from every class is showcased to parents through a highly successful exhibition evening held every July.
In the early years we relate art activities to the world children live in. Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and express ideas through the use of a range of materials and suitable tools for designing and making. They are able to explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in natural and manmade objects, including resources from different cultures.
Art and Design at Key Stage One develops children’s creativity and imagination through art activities that relate to children’s own identity and experiences and the locality in which they live. Children will be given the opportunity to use colour, shape and space and to represent their own ideas and feelings. They will 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 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 (National Curriculum, September 2013).
Art and Design at Key Stage Two is about developing children's creativity and imagination by building on their knowledge, skills and understanding of materials and processes through the provision of more complex activities. Children's experiences help them to develop their understanding of the diverse roles and functions of art and design in the locality and in the wider world. Children will be taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. They will use sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas, to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay] about great artists, architects and designers in history (National Curriculum, September 2013).
In 2014, we linked with West Middlesex Hospital to form a community project. The children took part in a school competition to design artwork to be displayed at the hospital. The winning designs were then created by a large proportion of the school who all added to the artwork in some way. We look forward to developing art in the community in future projects.