My name is Mrs Wassell and I am the subject leader for Art and Design at Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School. I am enthralled by the many forms of art including drama, dance, poetry, craft, painting, sketching, digital art, music, mixed-media and sculpture. I believe that art expresses some of the greatest forms of creativity and I am passionate in enabling children to reach their potential within this area.

With this in mind, we have carefully planned our art and design curriculum at Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School to offer a high-quality art and design education which engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

As pupils progress, they are able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Vision

At Fairmeadows, our vision is to enable children to develop ideas through an artistic process, master techniques by developing skills so that ideas may be communicated and take inspiration from great artists and artisans throughout history. Our children display a passion for and commitment to the subject!

Aims and Goals

At Fairmeadows we aim to provide an art and design curriculum that can be taught effectively using cross-curricular methods and as a subject in its own right.  It offers not only a technical and aesthetic element to the curriculum, but gives pupils the opportunity to respond in a personal and unique way to the environment.  Art allows opportunity for expression and imagination in the handling of images, tools and materials.  Both two and three-dimensional experiences must be offered in an essentially pupil centered environment.  Art is a subject that can be enjoyed by most pupils, and can offer opportunity to achieve success at every intellectual level, through a variety of materials.

EYFS

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we teach art through the expressive arts and design strand of the Early Years Framework. Ongoing experiences and opportunities linking to children’s developing art and design are planned from the objectives set out in the Early Years Framework, which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged 3-5 at Fairmeadows. These are covered and explored during the Early Years in a many ways. The children are given the opportunity to explore colour, texture, shape and form in two and three dimensions. They have access to a wide range of constructions, collage, painting and drawing activities, using appropriate tools and art materials. In order to tap into their artistic potential, the children will be encouraged to develop their own creative ideas.

These experiences ensure that children develop a secure understanding of art and design. By the end of the Reception year, they will be able to:

• Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques,
  experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function;
• Share their creations, explaining the process they have used;

KS1 and KS2

The national curriculum for art and design aims 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.

With this in mind, our programme of study for art and design clearly sets out which matters, skills and process that pupils are expected to know, apply and understand at each point in the year for all groups.

Assessment

Teachers assess children’s knowledge, understanding and skills in Art by making observations of the children working during lessons. Feedback given to children by their peers or teachers is in the form of discussions so their art is not marked in the process. Children are also encouraged to be critical of their own work, highlighting their own next steps.

Visits and Enrichments

At Fairmeadows we believe it is important to organise educational visits and visitors to enhance the teaching and learning of Art. These experiences provide valuable opportunities for learning through first- hand experience, allowing our children to make valuable experiences between what they have learned in class and their first hand experiences in the real- world.