Art & Design
Why Art matters:
Art is a life-enhancing tool which encourages self-expression and creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving. Art can build confidence and a sense of individual identity; it can provide an opportunity to explore our place in this ever-changing world. Creating art allows us to express our innermost thoughts and feelings, and it has the power to promote positive mental health and happiness.
The study of art and design in our school enables us to realise our vision of life in all its fullness by:
Joy - Developing confident imaginative and independent artists, who value their own unique creative journeys. Support and promote positive mental health and wellbeing. Art can heal, soothe and build self-confidence. Through art, we actively encourage children to take pride in who they are, and what they can create.
Growth - Lessons are taught in a way that ignites a passion for art. We explicitly teach a wide range of skills which provide a secure introduction to different techniques within art and design. We teach that creative skills can be honed through hard work and determination, rather than something you either have, or do not have and staff model this for the children. Strengthening relationships in our wider school community, through the shared experiences of making art (e.g. family drawing sessions, sculpture project, art club, art nurture group.)
Kindness and Integrity - Sharing a wide range of international artists, designers and makers - living and dead - from all walks of life, including BAME and LGBT+ artists. Encouraging children to express their unique thoughts and ideas - and to value and respect the ideas of others. We support children to take pride in their own achievements and efforts, without comparing themselves to others.
Growth and Joy - Providing opportunities for all children to shine and flourish, whilst allowing children to take risks and experiment in a supportive environment. We value bravery and mistakes, and help children to appreciate the importance of getting things wrong.
How we deliver it:
Art is celebrated across St John’s during our annual Art Week. Throughout the year, each year group will complete three art projects, one each term. (Every term, one half term will be dedicated to a DT project, and the other half will be dedicated to art.)
We have recently introduced the Kapow scheme of work for Art and Design, which is underpinned by extensive research around delivering a high-quality art education.
The Kapow scheme ensures that each child experiences a diverse range of art techniques during their time at St John’s, across four domains: painting and mixed media, drawing, craft and design, and sculpture and 3D. During each project, children will be explicitly taught key skills and techniques, whilst being provided with the time and space to develop their own unique ideas. Each project emphasises the importance of the creative process - from the development of original ideas and research of other artists, through to final pieces of work.
Children develop their creative ideas within their sketchbooks - these are places for them to experiment and take risks freely. Each child also has an art portfolio which they will add to throughout the year.
Our medium and short term plans link to the Kapow scheme of learning, but planning may be adapted to meet the specific needs of the class; we believe art is accessible for all.
How we know we are doing it well:
Teachers consider assessment in Art and Design as a holistic practice, which takes place informally during every art lesson through observation and conversation with children. Conversations may take place as a class, group, or one to one and will feed into reflection and evaluation throughout the creative process.
Children will develop a portfolio of artwork throughout the year, which will facilitate further reflection at the end of each year group. Throughout their time at SJB, children will add to a sketchbook which will travel with them up the school, allowing them to see their own progress.
There will be a light-touch assessment tick-list to complete at the end of each project, and children will be given a chance to evaluate and reflect on their own learning. Self and peer assessment are important aspects of our approach to assessment.
Monitoring of the quality of artwork, and quality of teaching and delivery of the Kapow scheme of work.
We will build a digital portfolio of work across the school, and show how this relates to each year groups Art and Design curriculum.
Monitoring of children’s engagement with the subject through the use of informal discussion.
Proactive training and development for teachers.
Positive engagement of the wider school community with whole-school art projects.
High-quality displays of the children’s artwork around the school.
