Art at Hardwick

Henri Matisse. “Creativity takes courage”

Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Every artist was first an amateur”

Art and Design is about engaging, inspiring and challenging children and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to participate in, experiment with, invent and create in a visual and tactile form. It is a fundamental means of personal expression.

It gives children the knowledge and skills to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Without it they would not be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of the subjects influence on life. It is imperative for their understanding of how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation and world.

It feeds into our school’s curriculum intent by providing the children with a curriculum bursting with new and exciting experiences and vocabulary to develop their enquiring minds. It teaches them to question what they learn about the great artists, architects and designers in history, while using them for inspiration to improve their mastery of art and design techniques. It ensures a clear progression of learning that provides a pathway for all our children to be creative, express their ideas and flourish.

Art and Design is taught across the whole school from the very youngest children in our nursery to those in Year 6. Our curriculum ensures that children learn new knowledge and skills and progress in these so that they have a secure foundation to invent and create their own works of art.

Our curriculum ensures that our children:

  • 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. 

In addition, children are given the opportunity to participate in art clubs for those that are inspired by and gifted and talented in the subject.

As children progress through school they expand their knowledge and skills starting in KS1 by learning to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space, to KS2 where they aspire to become masters in art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture while creating sketch books to review and revisit their ideas.

Links to personal experiences and other subjects can be made through the art and design curriculum, as the children research and discuss artists, architects and designers from around the world.

Please see below our curriculum progression grid for Art and Design, detailing how our children progress through knowledge and skills from Nursery to Year 6:

 
Art and Design Displays

Useful Websites

Research shows that art, craft and design-based activities help with children’s health and mental wellbeing. The list of websites below provides opportunities, at all levels, to be inspired and creative.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zyg4d2p - KS1 - bite size Art and Design

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zh72pv4 - KS2 - bite size Art and Design

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lGEvm1Lve0 1-1- Art with Mati & Dada – Van Gogh and other artists | Kids Animated Short Stories in English

https://www.tate.org.uk/kids - lots of fun games for learning about art

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/kids-activities-and-printables/activities-for-kids.html - KS1 - lovely creative activities to get children interested in art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8PWg8pYST0 - advice on teaching children art with developmental disabilities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuYaH12pNFI - Fun Sensory Crafts and Activities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un1vKOLGbTw - Tips for painting with children who have special needs