Intent, Implementation & Impact

At Goresbrook School, we believe the Art curriculum should engage, inspire and challenge pupils to equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. It should enable pupils to think critically and develop a rigorous understanding of art and to know how art and design has shaped our history by studying a range of artists, as well as their styles and techniques.

We follow the United Learning Art curriculum which has three strands: 

• Practical Knowledge (Substantive/Vertical Concepts)
• Practical knowledge includes all the things that pupils need to know in order to produce art. It includes:
• Formal elements (colour, form, line, pattern, shape, texture, tone).
• Techniques (drawing, painting, printmaking, 3D sculpture, textiles and photography/digital art)
• Use of materials (including clay, paint, pencils, charcoal, fabric).

These have each been sequenced so that pupils are explicitly taught aspects in small steps, allowing pupils to gradually build their understanding and mastery of practical knowledge. 

Theoretical Knowledge (Substantive)

Theoretical knowledge includes the history of Art. In the Primary Art & Design Curriculum, a range of artists have been selected to not only illustrate quality examples of the practical knowledge outline above, but to build pupils’ knowledge of the diversity of artists (their backgrounds, inspiration, and approaches). They will also examine how artists have inspired each other, and how artists are connected within the paradigms of Traditional, Modern and Contemporary art.

Disciplinary Knowledge 

Disciplinary knowledge asks the questions that are at the heart of the subject:

What is art? Pupils learn about the diversity of artistic outcomes, the purpose and the meaning of art, and how it has been part of much of human history.

What do artists do? Pupils learn about how artists are influenced by their own contexts and worldviews, and present this worldview through their art; they can choose to accurately represent the world around them, choose to express themselves and/or challenge others’ worldviews through their art

What inspires artists? Pupils learn about the range of ways that artists – and that pupils as artists – can be inspired.

Children will be introduced to a range of works by different artists and develop knowledge of the styles and vocabulary used by famous artists. The skills they acquire are applied to their cross-curricular topics, allowing children to use their art skills to reflect on and explore topics in greater depth; for example, by sketching historical artefacts in detail, researching geographical locations to support their work on landscape painting or using art as a medium to express emotion and thought to enhance their personal, social and emotional development. It is important that art work is purposeful; be this as a means of expression or to explore the styles of other artists that inspire our own work. Pupils should be clear what the intended outcomes are and have a means to measure their own work against this.  In Art, children are expected to be reflective and evaluate their work, thinking about how they can make changes and keep improving. This should be meaningful and continuous throughout the process, with evidence of age-related verbal and written refection. Lessons have been clearly sequenced to build progression over the years and key stages so that children are learning age appropriate skills in Art and being given the opportunity to revisit these skills in later years to enhance them. For example, children will begin Key Stage One with the prior knowledge of basic mark making, knowledge will be explicitly taught to children on how to create a range of lines with different mediums building towards form and shape. Children will then revisit these important concepts again in Year 2, year 4 and Year 5 developing their skills in 3D, form and creating sophisticated patterns. 

Teachers teach Art once a term in a block of lessons which supports children to retain new information and build on their new and existing skills throughout the course of the week. The Art curriculum reflects a breadth of artists from different backgrounds and cultures which relates to our demographic as a school in Ilford. We have a high percentage of children from diverse backgrounds, who speak English as an additional language and have experienced different cultures. Children engage in Arts week which is linked to the Take One programme run by the National Gallery yearly. Furthermore, they partake in a range of Art competitions throughout the year that are linked to other subjects showing the children how creativity can be explored in a range of ways.

In addition to this, teachers have;

A knowledge organiser which outlines knowledge (including vocabulary) all children must master 

A cycle of lessons for each subject, which carefully plans for progression and depth 

Challenge questions for pupils to apply their learning 

Trips and visiting experts who will enhance the learning experience 

Children will sketch and explore medias and their uses in a sketchbook which will progress through their school years, allowing children to see their own progression and reflect on their prior work and learning. 

A means to display and celebrate the pupils’ artwork in their class or school communal areas.

The United Curriculum for Art provides all children, regardless of their background with the following principles:

Entitlement

Regardless of their starting point, the curriculum allows pupils to produce creative work, to explore ideas and develop the confidence to excel in a broad range of artistic techniques. All pupils will learn about artists and cultures from across history and across the world.  

Coherence

Taking the National Curriculum as its starting point, the curriculum is sequenced so that pupils gradually develop and build their practical knowledge, including the formal elements, the use of a range of materials in two and three dimensions, and the techniques required to produce artwork. Theoretical and disciplinary knowledge is sequenced so that pupils build a deeper understanding across key stages.

Mastery

All pupils will be explicitly taught about the formal elements – colour, form, line, pattern, shape, texture and tone – and other aspects of art knowledge in small steps. Pupils will revisit, develop and apply their skills with increasing technical proficiency.

Representation

The Art curriculum provides children with the opportunity to explore historical and contemporary artists and artworks, who represent their own and others’ cultures, values and beliefs. We will explore the context in which the art was produced, and consider the full breadth of human experience and expression through art.  

Education with Character

We aim to build and maintain pupils’ confidence in their ability as artists to create. The curriculum will develop aspects of character such as resilience, confidence and risk taking. Through the curriculum, pupils are given opportunities to share, reflect and learn about each other’s experiences whilst recognising the things we have in common. 

Our Art curriculum is also planned in a way that promotes cultural capital. All children will learn the same skills and have the opportunity to realise their talents and develop their character through self-expression, skills crucial beyond their primary years of education. Children will be exposed to a wide range of experiences that will enhance their skills development and provide them with knowledge about a wider range of cultures reflective of their local area. This will be delivered through guest speakers from local artists, visits to local art galleries and visits to other areas within our community and around our community to explore how art is embodied throughout different institutions. Thus, enriching the children’s experience of Art as whole subject. Children will leave Year 6 with a range of skills in drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, 3D work and digital art and the ability to explore and evaluate different creative ideas.  Children will have developed a love of Art and appreciate its position in society.