Art and Design
A high-quality Art and Design curriculum should engage, inspire and challenge children to develop their understanding and abilities, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to experiment, explore and create their own pieces of art.
As children progress through these key stages, they should develop a more comprehensive approach towards their understanding of the importance of Art and Design in the world around them.
Teachers should provide opportunities for direct sensory experiences. These will develop children’s visual, spatial and tactile awareness and manipulative skills. Teachers should also gradually introduce children to art and design tools, materials and processes. This will enable children to express their ideas more fully through colour, line, shape, space, form, pattern and texture.
Children need consistent experience of Art and Design to understand what artists, designers and craft workers do, and to develop their own confidence in using a wide range of media and techniques.
Art and Design activities encourage children to:
- respond to the world around them;
- respond to their individual feelings and emotions;
- develop and use their imagination;
- express their ideas, thoughts and feelings;
- solve problems; and
- become more aesthetically aware.
Key Stage 1 Activities
As pupils enter Key Stage 1, they bring a wide range of knowledge, skills and understanding of Art and Design. It is important to recognise this previous experience of Art and Design and be aware of their starting points when introducing new processes or media. At Key Stage 1, you should build on and develop your pupils’ existing skills.
At this stage, pupils will need explicit guidance on how to manipulate different types of media. You should progressively embed new materials or processes into lessons. As pupils make progress across the different areas of Art and Design, they can gradually develop their learning by combining their knowledge and skills.
Key Stage 2 Activities
By the time pupils reach Key Stage 2 they should have had a range of different experiences using various media and processes related to Art and Design. It is important to take cognisance of their prior experiences in Art and Design and to be aware of their starting points when introducing new processes or media. At Key Stage 2 teachers should build upon and develop pupils’ existing skills and guide them sensitively through their learning so that they can make meaningful progress. It is also important to be aware of pupil’s self-perceptions of their own artistic ability, and remind pupils to always aim to make their own progress.
Pupils should be provided with opportunities to experience the different processes that are involved in creating art, and at this stage they still need to be taught how to use different media appropriately. Pupils will need explicit guidance on how to manipulate different types of media and new materials/processes should be progressively embedded into lessons. As pupils make progress across the different areas of Art and Design, they can gradually develop their learning by combining their knowledge and skills.
Resources
Contact
For more information on Art and Design, contact: