Intent
At Lydgate, our vision is for our children to develop their creativity, skills and passion in Art and Design in order to become Artists and Designers. We aim to engage, inspire and challenge our pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own works of art and design.
We follow the National Curriculum for Art and Design & Technology establishing cross curricular and cross cultural links where appropriate including aboriginal art and Mayan clay pots. We also teach discrete art and design skills-based lessons across school.
In Design and Technology, we want our pupils to become proficient in the areas of structures, mechanical and electrical systems, sculptures and food technology. They produce creative work through the process of researching, designing, making and evaluating their creative ideas with a target audience in mind.
In Food technology, we develop the principles of a balanced and a varied diet, exploring where our food comes from and learning to cook healthy meals. We make cross curricular links with science and PSHE where appropriate.
In Art, our pupils learn about a range of great artists and designers such as Lichenstein, Klee and Matisse (in KS1) and Monet, William Morris, L.S Lowry and Oenone Hammersley in KS2. They develop their skills in painting and drawing through observations and study. Pupils use their art forms in order to influence their own artwork.
Pupils are encouraged to evaluate creative works using the vocabulary of art and design relating to the elements of colour, tone, line, texture and shape/form.
Where there are opportunities, we will engage in community projects so there is a real life application of skills and knowledge learnt.
RECEPTION:
“Helping children to be creative is about encouraging attitudes of curiosity and questioning as about skills and techniques”
At Lydgate, we encourage our pupils from an early age to explore and be curious about the world around them. We encourage them to ask questions to extend their understanding and views. We strive to develop pupils’ imagination, creativity, and ability to use a range of media and materials. Expressive Arts and Design is one of the areas that supports this and is covered in our Reception curriculum. The ways in which we achieve this vision include singing songs, role-play, making music, dancing, construction, exploring colour, texture and design. Expressive Arts also help children to represent and understand their own feelings and ideas.
The objectives are covered over the academic care and are often linked to the themes being covered in the Reception classroom.
Click here for the Reception curriculum in Expressive Arts and Design.
In KS1, LKS2 and UKS2, the units are taught in a two year cycle. There are 6 units – 3 Art related and 3 DT related in every cycle. Food technology is taught in both cycles.
Click here for the Long Term Plan
Implementation
The Art and DT lead teaches the majority of the lessons in KS2 and is able to ensure progression is made year on year. Staff who teach Art and DT liaise closely with the subject lead to ensure progression and parity.
In every lesson, the sequence of lessons is established, prior knowledge recapped and key vocabulary shared. All lessons follow the Design/Make/Evaluate steps. The key knowledge and skills for the lessons are identified in the planning and progression established.
Resources are audited every year so that unit can be taught effectively.
Sketch books are used in lessons for planning, drawing and evaluation.
Monitoring - Every year, the subject lead conducts pupil interviews to evaluate learning against intent, observe a sample of lessons trough school and identify next steps that arise from the monitoring. These are shared in staff meetings. Examples of work across school are collected by the subject lead in order to support with modelling and have evidence to show progression.
Impact
At the end of every unit, staff assess the children for the unit covered and the data updated every half term onto a tracker. This is accessible to all staff including the Subject Lead.
Lessons show a clear progression of skills and knowledge as laid out in the progression document.
Pupil interviews show that the children are able to articulate their learning and use subject specific vocabulary. Pupils are usually picked by the subject lead based on the assessment tracker.
Lesson observations show that staff are confident in delivering the curriculum.
Displays around school show examples of work in Art and DT.
Visits and discussions in school raise the profile of the subject and establish cross curricular links to embed learning.
Our children show a love and passion for Art and Design.
Community Projects
- One of our Y6 children won the Transpennine Route Upgrade Art Competition. Many of our artworks were commended. All of these have been enlarged and displayed in Batley Train Station for all to see.
- We regularly work alongside Friends of Batley Station. For example, during Remembrance Day events, some of our SEND children made poppies along with members of the community.
- Change Project – Until last year, we were a part of a group of schools involve in the Change project which linked art and science. We have worked closely with artists over the years covering a range of topics including sound, plants and parts of flowers and the animal kingdom. This was sponsored by Cummins, UK.
