Intent

At Oldfield Park Infant School, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. We strive to inspire our children to express their individual interests, experiences and creativity through art and design. We aim to foster the curiosity and confidence to experiment with a wide range of techniques and to appreciate the value of this exploration as an art process in itself. We encourage children to find their own pleasure in both learning about art and being an artist.

By broadening their awareness of the work of artists and designers, our children will learn how art and design contribute to history and culture, both past and present.

We encourage children to take pride in their art, equipping them with the vocabulary needed to evaluate their own work and be able to make considered and respectful comments to the work of others.

Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Oldfield Park Infant School is based on the National Curriculum and supported by a skills-based approach.

The school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in Art and Design lessons. Our principal aim is to develop the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. We ensure that the act of investigating and making something includes exploring and developing ideas, and evaluating and developing work. We do this best through a mixture of whole‐class teaching and individual or group activities. Teachers draw attention to good examples of individual performance as models for the other children. They encourage children to evaluate their own ideas and methods, and the work of others, and to say what they think and feel about them. We give children the opportunity to work, by themselves and in collaboration with others, on projects in two and three dimensions, and at different scales. Children also have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and resources.

Impact

We strive for all children to acquire the age appropriate related knowledge and skills linked to the Art and Design curriculum at the end of Reception and Key Stage 1 so they will be well prepared for their next key stage.

 To foster confidence, resilience, ambitious creativity and enjoyment for art and design in our pupils and the school community.

Art will be celebrated as a form of expression and a way to share ideas, experiences and imagination within school and the wider community.

Children will be confident in selecting and using a range of materials in their work.

Children will develop the ability to use a wide range of art and design techniques including use of colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space.

Children will know about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities and make links to their own work.

Children will be able to talk about and evaluate creative works using the language of art and design taught through topic vocabulary.

Children will be prepared for their own future success by raising their awareness of how art is an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.