Art

Art and Design at Willowcroft 

At Willowcroft we place great importance on respect for one another and the importance of good learning behaviour. Our children are hardworking, polite and love to learn. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive school and working with parents to provide the best education for their children. We have a friendly, dedicated and motivated team of staff who work hard to provide the highest quality of education for our children.

Overview

Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes. Children become involved in shaping their environment through art and design activities. They learn to make informed judgements and aesthetic and practical decisions. They explore ideas and meanings trough the work of artists and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has on contemporary life and that of different times and cultures. The appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enriches all our lives.

Aims

In Art and Design, children should:

• 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

Our Objectives

• To enable children to record from first-hand experience and from imagination and to select their own ideas to use in their work;
• To develop creativity and imagination through a range of complex activities;
• To improve the children’s ability to control materials, tools and techniques;
• To increase their critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art and design in different times and cultures;
• To develop increasing confidence in the use of visual and tactile elements and materials;
• To foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and a knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers

Content of the Art and Design programme

In Foundation Stage (Tadpoles, Frogs and Dragonflies)

During the Early Years Foundation Stage, art and design falls under the broader umbrella of Expressive Arts and Design, one of the seven areas of learning identified in the Development Matters and Early Learning Goals for the Foundation Stage. Children are encouraged to develop their artistic creativity through the provision of a range of stimuli, materials and experiences, with both adult led and child-initiated activities. The emphasis is very much on the process rather than the product and children are given time to practise, explore, experiment and play with ideas and skills. In the Foundation Stage the six art objectives detailed above are integrated into the topic work each term. 

In Key Stage 1 (Hedgehogs, Squirrels and Owls)

Pupils should be 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

In Key stage 2 (Foxes, Adders, Badgers, Otters, Kingfishers and Red Kites) 

Pupils should be 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.

Pupils should be 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]
• about great artists, architects and designers in history