Art Policy for Mellis CEVC Primary School
Introduction
Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences, and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children to communicate what they see, feel and think, through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes. Children become involved in shaping their environments through art and design activities. They learn to make informed judgements, and aesthetic and practical decisions. They explore ideas and meanings
through the work of artists and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and on different periods and cultures. The appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enrich all our lives.
Aims of Art and Design
Our objectives in the teaching of art and design are:
· to enable children to record from first-hand experience and from imagination, and to select their own ideas to use in their work;
· To encourage children to recognise the need to modify their work and to be able to discuss their reasons.
· to develop creativity and imagination through a range of complex activities;
· to improve the children's ability to control materials, tools and techniques;
· to increase their critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art and design in different times and cultures;
· to develop increasing confidence in the use of visual and tactile elements and materials;
· to foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts, and a knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers.
Leadership and Management of the subject
The co-ordination and the planning of the art and design curriculum is the responsibility of the subject leader. Annual monitoring throughout the school takes place whereby the subject leader reviews evidence of children’s work and undertakes lesson observations.
The subject leader is also responsible for supporting colleagues in their teaching by keeping informed about current developments in art and design and providing inset when needed.
Stock is updated and ordered by the subject leader.
A Curriculum audit is carried out annually, where the subject leader evaluates strengths, weaknesses and identifies areas for further improvement within art and design. A copy of this is given to the head teacher and all members of the teaching staff.
Inclusion
Art and design forms part of our school curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced education for all children.
In providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils and in overcoming potential barriers to learning in art and design, some pupils may require:
· Alternative tasks to overcome difficulties rising from specific religious beliefs relating to ideas and experiences they are expected to represent.
· Adapting activities to overcome difficulties with manipulating tools, equipment or materials.
· Access to stimuli, participation in everyday events and explorations, materials, word descriptions and other resources, to compensate for a lack of specific first hand experiences and to allow pupils to explore an idea or theme.
· Help to manage particular types of materials to which they may be allergic.
Equal Opportunities
We teach art and design to all children, regardless of their ability, gender, race, disability or cultural or religious origin. Children will encounter works from different cultural traditions by men and women, able bodied and disabled. Attention will be drawn to techniques originating in different parts of the world - e.g. Celtic designs, batik, tie dye and other forms of print making.
Curriculum overview and implementation
We use the Suffolk scheme of art and design as the basis for our curriculum planning in art and design. The curriculum plan comprises of 3 half-termly units of work for each group from Year 1 to Year 6. The units are based on the areas of experience of drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, textiles and 3D. All 6 disciplines are covered by each year group but the order in which they are delivered is decided by the teachers within each individual year group.
Our long term plans show when each of the units will be covered within each year group.
Our medium-term plans, are adopted from the unit plans in the Suffolk scheme of art and design. The units are adapted to meet the needs and requirements of the individual classes but all teachers ensure they retain the skills, processes and techniques within each of the 6 areas of work.
Each year group has access to the previous year group’s unit plans allowing them to build on the children’s prior knowledge.
Foundation Stage
“Creativity is fundamental to successful learning. Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another so extend their understanding.” QCA 2000
We relate the children's creative experiences to the objectives set out within the creative development in the EYFS documents, which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged birth to five. The children's learning includes art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. We recognise the importance of children having first hand experience and encourage them to make connections between one area of learning and another, and so extend their understanding.
We provide a rich environment in which we encourage children to explore different media and techniques within a meaningful context. Children are engaged in a wide range of activities, and their responses involve the various senses. We give them the opportunity to work alongside artists and other adults. The activities that they take part in are imaginative and enjoyable.
Curriculum Time
The weekly curriculum time allocated for art each week is 1 hour within Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. On occasion teachers may choose to block their lessons or use a whole day to deliver a particular set of sessions.
Differentiation
Our teachers provide learning opportunities that are matched
to the needs of children with learning difficulties by modifying the medium term unit plans to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each key stage.
While we give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding, we also plan progression into the scheme of work, so that there is an increasing challenge for the children as they move up through the school.
Children who demonstrate a particular strength in Art, attend Gifted and Talented Art days run within school. These children have the opportunity to explore and extend their skills and techniques further with a wide range of different media.
Continuity and Progression
The Suffolk art and design scheme ensures progression and continuity of learning experiences from Year 1 to Year 6. The children’s knowledge, skills and understanding is built upon through the 6 units of work. Within each discipline the breadth of content is gradually extended, the depth of knowledge and understanding is increased and there is more emphasis on improving the quality of responses and outcomes.
The children record key processes and techniques in their individual sketch book. This book is a working document which travels with the children through the school. This enables the children to look back at work made in previous years, supports their learning and helps them to extend their thinking further.
All teachers have access to the full Suffolk art and design scheme, this combined with staff meetings and lesson observations helps to ensure progression and continuity of learning in art and design across the school.
Assessment
We assess the children's work in art and design through observations and questioning during lessons. Through the use of questions teachers can gain an insight into the reasons for the development of ideas and extend understanding further. Supportive and constructive feedback is often verbal and is provided to all pupils.
Teacher’s record the progress made by children against the learning objectives for their lesson and use this information to plan future work.
At the end of each unit of work, teachers annotate the end of unit expectations found in the Suffolk art and design scheme, which directly relates to the National Curriculum level descriptors. A copy of this is given to the subject leader and at the end of the year, a copy is passed onto the next class teacher. This helps to inform planning, identifies children who might need additional support and highlights children who need to be challenged further in their learning experience.
Children are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and that of others, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
The Learning Environment/Display
Our classrooms and the school provide a stimulating, exciting and interactive visual learning environment. Therefore, each teacher is responsible for providing art displays within their own classroom and an art display within the school. The organisation of the school displays is the responsibility of the subject leader for art and design. All display boards within the school are changed at the beginning of each term. There may also be opportunities for the children to visit art galleries and for local artists to visit the school with groups of children. Original pieces of art work can also be loaned to the school through the Suffolk art and design team.
Health and Safety
Art materials should be stored in a safe and appropriate area of the classroom. All children must be taught how to use materials and tools correctly and safely and recognise the hazards and consequent risks when working with the equipment in practical activities. Teachers should make sure children are aware of the need to maintain tools carefully and to return them to the correct location. Any cutting tools should only be used under adult supervision. Glass containers should not be used for water to prevent any unnecessary hazards. If any spillages occur they must be cleared immediately to prevent the possibility of children slipping. All children are required to wear an art apron when engaged in practical artwork. All of the basic art equipment to be found in classrooms is non-toxic. Any new materials to be used, teachers must refer to the Health and Safety document ‘Guide to Safe Practice in Art and Design’ which gives detailed safety guidelines for specific materials.
Resources
The art and design subject leader is responsible for ensuring the provision and effective use of resources necessary for the high quality delivery of the art and design curriculum.
The school has a wide range of art resources to support the learning and teaching across the school. All our classrooms have a range of basic resources available. More specialised equipment is kept in a central store which is only accessible to adults and supervised children. The resources are updated and replaced when required by the subject leader for art.
Review
The subject leader is responsible for continuous monitoring and evaluation of the art and design scheme throughout the school. The subject leader will revise the scheme in the light of evaluations and agree dates for implementation.
References
Art 4-11- Suffolk County Council
The National Curriculum for Art and Design Key Stages 1-2
The Suffolk Art and Design Scheme
Kyson Equal Opportunities Policy
Reviewed by: C. Gray
Date : 6th October 2009