Art and Design

Intent

At Edgware we want children to be able to express themselves in many forms. We believe that children should see and experience different media and be inspired by artists and designers, using their work as a spring board to create their own. 

Children are given opportunities to use a range of different materials to create and design. We want children to take inspiration from nature, their local context and the wider world. 

We teach art discretely but also use it alongside other subjects where appropriate.  

As pupils progress, they should gain a deeper understanding of how Art and Design reflects and shapes our history, and how it contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our world.  

Implementation

Art is taught half termly to allow children to focus on a skill or artist in depth. 

We give children high quality models to use for inspiration as well as model different techniques that the children can then try for themselves. Art and Design & Technology are taught as subjects in their own right however, where possible, we use the skills across the curriculum. 

We focus on a range of artists who are culturally diverse. Across the school we encourage children to be creative, using a range of media and techniques so that they develop skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, textiles and printing. Children also develop their ideas through self-evaluation and group discussion. 

We ensure that key vocabulary is taught so that children are able to explain the techniques and skills they have used, describe the art they see, talk about artists competently and the type of work they have created and the visual components they may have used: colour, form, line, shape, space, texture. Children are given vocabulary which helps them to evaluate design ideas and communicate their own designs. 

For both Art and Design, we ensure:

• all children have access to a broad, creative and varied art and design curriculum.
• a range of exciting opportunities by stimulating the pupil’s interest in art and design, developing a variety of skills, knowledge and understanding.
• we develop the children’s ability to reflect upon, respond and evaluate their own work and that of other artists.
• we encourage children to produce high quality work.

We do an annual Art week and Design & Technology week where children can explore techniques and artists in more depth   and also provide children the chance to use art in different whole school projects.

We give children lots of opportunities to express their feelings and emotions and communicate their ideas through art.