Art & Design
At St Mary & St Joseph VC Academy we believe that the teaching of Art and Design should inspire children and develop their confidence to experiment and invent their own works of art.
We aim to give pupils opportunities to develop their ability, nurture their talents and interests, express their ideas and learn about art and artists across cultures and through history.
The national curriculum for Art and Design aims to ensure that all pupils:
• Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Some of our planned curriculum links to our overarching theme of social change throughout the lives of famous people and our area. This allows expansion of the themes taught throughout the history and geography curriculum, giving the children extra opportunities to deepen their learning and understanding of a range of themes. In some cases, however, the activities covered in Art and Design cannot link readily to these topics; instead, they will be taught in isolation, where we believe that the activity and skills taught will benefit the children in other ways.
How Art and Design is taught at St Mary and St Joseph VC Academy
In our Art & Design lessons, we ensure that both our pupils’ substantive and disciplinary knowledge is built upon year on year.
Substantive Knowledge – is knowledge and ‘substance’ of our curriculum e.g. the seven elements of art (line, colour, shape, value, form, texture and space); knowledge of artists, their style and period of art.
Disciplinary Knowledge - is the skills our children develop in producing art, such as how the seven elements can be used and combined to create a specific effect; how to use the tools associated with art to achieve a desired effect.
So that our pupils can learn more and know more, we believe it is vital that our Art and Design curriculum develops both categories, introducing them early in school and developing both areas throughout their school life.
