'Every child is an artist.' 

Pablo Picasso

Intent

An extensive, innovative and thought-provoking curriculum has been designed from the core components of the National Curriculum, enhanced to meet the needs of our children. We aspire to provide the opportunity for every child to showcase their artistic attributes. Here at St Thomas’ CE Primary Academy, we are passionate about exploring and celebrating similarities and differences between people, places and cultures. We look at these subjects with the aim of developing critical, creative and analytical thinking skills. We believe that children’s imagination and personal expression is at the forefront of their progression through life, and Art provides the perfect opportunities for these elements to flourish.

Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art curriculum starts with children recognising and understanding the fundamentals of art. These will allow children to interpret and express their ideas and visions. Across the year groups, Art is taught using a spiral approach where by children will become profound within the Art disciplines: Painting, Drawing and Sculpture.  Throughout their time at St Thomas’ CE Primary Academy, children will gain confidence in Art terminology and will be able to use these terms to refine and reflect on others and their own work throughout the three disciplines. Three key concepts are threaded throughout the year groups:

Fundamental Knowledge and Skills within the EYFS

In the Early Years Foundation Stage pupils are exposed to the fundamentals of Art and Design from the offset. Pupils begin to recognise how to hold a pencil and how to utilise a range of small art tools including different sized paint brushes and scissors. Pupils develop an awareness of how to draw and can create drawings carefully from imagination. The three main disciplines of Art and Design are woven into the EYFS so that pupils are introduced to a range of different medias. As pupils progress through the year, they are encouraged to express, refine and develop their artistic creativity to prepare them for Year One. 

These concepts allow children to experience Art through a specific lens, whilst broadening their knowledge through links to different artists. Children will gather, reflect and refine their ideas through personal sketchbooks which encourage discussions and exposure to a wide range of vocabulary. Throughout our school, ranges of artwork are displayed to allow children to build and justify their own personal response to Art.

Impact

Through the teaching of concepts and disciplines within the Art curriculum, children will have a love for Art here at St Thomas’. By exploring and understanding artists and artworks, children will have a comprehensive understanding of how art is viewed in a vast amount of ways and that art can be used to tell powerful stories and convert meanings. They will build upon art skills whilst also developing a deeper understanding of their own ambitions for the future. Sketchbooks will be used to allow children the creative freedom needed in order to create their own works of art. Their own art production enables them to tell their own stories. As children leave St Thomas’ they have a secure knowledge and understanding that art is everywhere and comes in many different forms.