Scarcliffe Primary School

Our Art Curriculum

What is Art?

Art, craft and design are all ways to engage pupils creativity by using different media.

Who leads Art at Scarcliffe and what is their vision?

The art leader at our school is Sarah Bannister - who is also the teacher in Class 2.  For further information about the art curriculum, or for other support, she can be contacted via email.  sbannister2@scarcliffe.derbyshire.sch.uk

The subject leader's vision for art is to encourage creativity (core ability) and equip children with the knowledge and skills in different areas of the curriculum which will enables them to create their own works of art. She wants to make sure the children know how art and design reflects and shapes history and cultures in our nation. 

Art Curriculum Intent

 At Scarcliffe, we aim to: 

1. Give children the opportunity to develop creativity through exploring art and design.

2.  To learn about great artists, craft makers and designers.

3. To become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.

In order to achieve this, we have developed our curriculum intent under four broad headings:

1. Drawing 
2. Painting
3.  Printing 
4. Sculpture

Our curriculum intent document for art (see below) shows how these areas are developed progressively during a pupil’s time at Scarcliffe. 

How Art is implemented at Scarcliffe (including use of schemes)

At Scarcliffe, the art intent document, developed from the National Curriculum, informs planning in each class. The themes taught in each class have been well thought out to cover all objectives in the National Curriculum over a two-year cycle.

Art is sometimes taught as a stand alone lesson each week or is blocked depending on our topic during a particular term. It is not taught every term as it coincides with DT. 

We work hard to develop a structure for art over a unit which would include one of the main art headings. An art unit involves identifying and learning about artist(s) as well as evaluating their work. New skills are taught alongside learning about artists allowing them to build on prior learning, for example, during a drawing unit, children will be taught specific shading techniques to later apply. During this process, new vocabulary is shared and explained to the children. From this, children use those skills to create a piece of art in the style of the artist or using similar features and finally, they will evaluate their art work. 

Children's work is shown in their art jotters which is taken with them as they move into the next class. This allows children and school leaders to see the progress they have made. 

Our Curriculum Overview for Art

Links to our core abilities

We have identified seven core abilities that we hope to develop through our curriculum offer.  

• Questioning and curiosity
• Critical thinking and open-mindedness
• Perseverance and resilience
• Communication
• Independence
• Team work
• Creativity 

We can develop many of these core abilities through effective art teaching, but we particularly focus on developing creativity. 

Knowledge Organisers and Learning Journeys

In art, we do not currently create Knowledge Organisers. Learning Journeys are created and developed as part of the topic curriculum alongside other subjects. 

Monitoring the impact of teaching in Art

We understand the importance of teaching high quality art lessons to all children and leaders monitor the impact of teaching in a variety of ways. 

Importantly, the subject leader spends time in classes - seeing what the children are learning, talking to pupils about their understanding and views about art and talking to staff about the learning sequence they are following in art.  The subject leader likes to carry out book looks alongside pupils to gather information about their learning. 

 These are then shared and discussed with staff. 

Assessment Data

Staff assess children against the curriculum intent statements each year.  Information is centered around determining which children are not yet at the expected standard and who are very secure within the expected standard.  This provides us with information to inform our future teaching.  

Art at home

We do not set homework as such for art.  However, each term class teachers send home a homework menu linked to their current topic and these often include options related to art. Children are encouraged and celebrated when bringing in art related topics. 

Examples of pupil work