Art & Design
“Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.” National Curriculum 2014
At Benchill Primary School, we place a high value on Art as one of the highest forms of human creativity. We recognise that Art should engage, inspire and challenge pupils whilst equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. Through teaching and learning about great artists and designers, and the works they have created, our pupils will know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation and the world in which they live.
The art curriculum at Benchill makes full use of resources and opportunities within the immediate and wider local area enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the various skills and techniques within the art curriculum.
Our Art curriculum provides children with opportunities to develop their skills using a range of media and materials. Children learn the skills of drawing, painting, printing, collage and 3D work and are given the opportunity to explore and evaluate different creative ideas. Children will be introduced to a range of works and develop knowledge of the styles and vocabulary used by famous artists. Topics are informed by the national curriculum, are sensitive to children’s interests and are linked with our country’s rich history of art/artists.
The art curriculum at Benchill is carefully planned and structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and that the school’s approaches are informed by current pedagogy. In line with the national curriculum 2014, the curriculum at Benchill 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.
Key Stage 1 and 2
Key Stage 1
Pupils are taught:
- To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
- To use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
- To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
- About the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
Key Stage 2
Pupils are taught 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.
Our pupils are taught:
- To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
- To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]great artists, architects and designers in history.
