Intent  

At Hallam Primary School, we have designed a curriculum for the arts with the intent that our children will, from the early years, develop a sense of creativity, self-expression, excellence and high attainment.    

We will deliver a curriculum that;   

• Expose’s all children to the arts, giving them a chance to experience, and participate in a range of creative activities and events.    

• Allows our children to experiment in a ‘safe’ environment where there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ results, thus, both self-expression and self-esteem may be enhanced.  

• Give’s children entitlement to a wide range of experiences in the arts as part of and in addition to the curriculum.    

• Give’s children the opportunity to explore, develop and communicate their personal, aesthetic response to experience.    

• Develops their knowledge and skills within a wide range of arts activities.   

• Introduces them to an appreciation of the arts that will last a lifetime.    

• Develops their appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage within the school and local community.    

• Helps them make personal interpretations of what they have experienced.    

• Encourages children to express themselves creatively using a wide range of media and situations.    

Implementation  

The curriculum is led and overseen by the art lead. Our art lead will implement training, monitoring, evaluation and review and share good practice amongst staff which will contribute to the ethos and ambitions for art at Hallam.    

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the art curriculum is based on the following principles:  

Art Content and Sequence  

• The National Curriculum forms the basis of teaching and learning and dictates the curriculum content for Art.  

• The ‘Art Content and Sequence’ document is used as support for planning to ensure that there is progression in the development of key skills.  

• All children follow a program of progressive skills in art and design, creative dance, music and drama.  These take place in discrete art and design lessons and also as a means of communication in other wider curriculum subjects.   

• Wherever possible first-hand experiences and real things are used to stimulate art and design activities. Teaching is done in whole class groups followed by group and individual work. New techniques and skills are modelled and examples of work are shown to the children.    

• In group and individual work, pupils have the opportunity to investigate, explore and develop ideas and techniques. They are also involved in evaluating their work, celebrating success and identifying areas for improvement.   

• Art activities are differentiated to ensure that all pupils can access the tasks and have an appropriate level of challenge. Pupils with particular talents are given opportunities to extend them. Opportunities for using and extending art skills are built into lessons in other subjects.    

• At Hallam we ensure that children also have access to contemporary (20th and 21st century) artists as well as more traditional ones, that are perhaps more relevant to children today.   

• Cross curricular opportunities for further learning and development in the arts are built into planning of all subjects as a means of enhancing the children’s learning opportunities. These may be in the form of visiting performing arts groups, museums, galleries and other venues.   

• In the EYFS there is continuous provision of art and design opportunities: these activities make important contributions to children’s development in the areas of Expressive Arts and Design and Communication and Language. They are also important in children’s Personal, Social and Emotional development. Art is covered in art lessons, continuous provision and as a means of communication and learning in other curriculum areas.   

• Vocabulary is a focus and lessons are planned to provide maximum opportunities for children to analyse the use of vocabulary and develop their knowledge of tier 1, 2 and 3 words.  

Art Teaching and Learning, Assessment and Feedback  

• Art is taught through the whole curriculum and mapped out to develop a wide range of experiences. 

• A high emphasis is placed on creativity and self-expression.  

• Where appropriate children are taught to understand the skills and techniques an artist has used to create their art. Through a sequence of progressive lessons, children will practise the skills taught. 

• Each year group has a progression of skills which they will plan from.  

• Feedback is given in line with the Feedback Policy.   

• Peer assessment will be used as a learning strategy for engaging students in knowledge construction and skill development via comprehending teachers’ assessment criteria, learning from viewing peers’ work, and making reflections. 

• Summative and formative assessment is used for gap analysis. Additional provision is planned for those children who require support.  

Impact  

Our art Curriculum will strive to ensure that:  

• The majority of children leave with a love of art. 

• Experience a broad, balanced arts curriculum, with an emphasis on the development of understanding and skills in art and design, creative dance, music and drama.  

• Experience the arts through other areas of the curriculum.    

• Be given a wide range of opportunities to express themselves creatively.    

• Be given the opportunity to develop skills and interests in out of hours learning.    

• Begin to develop an awareness of the emotional impact the arts have on themselves and on an audience.  

• Children leave Hallam Primary having been exposed to a wide range of artists which have developed their knowledge in a range of areas 

• Teachers have a deeper understanding of how to teach the skills of art through the use of detailed medium term plans.