Intent
Our intent is to provide our children with an engaging, exciting and empowering curriculum that allows them to develop as confident responsible citizens equipped with the skills that will allow them to be successful in our ever-changing world, both in the present and the future.
We believe that childhood should be a happy, investigative and enquiring time in our lives. We constantly provide enrichment opportunities (memorable experiences) to engage learners and develop their cultural capital which has been recognised as essential if children are to succeed.
We believe that our children should not only reach their best academically, but also develop a thirst for knowledge, foster a love of learning and leave our school with exceptional independent learning skills.
We are fully committed to developing each child’s unique potential within a secure and caring environment.
We use our Captain Webb Values to promote positive attitudes to learning:
Listen
Encourage
Achieve
Respect
Nurture
Our school believes that art is a vital part in children’s education as it can give children the opportunities to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.
A high-quality art education – along with sequential and progressive lessons – will help to engage, excite and empower our children as well as equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own artwork and crafts. From this children are able to make links with their learning to produce amazing art! As pupils progress throughout our school, they will have a strong understanding of the key art elements (line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, 3D forms), to be able to effectively plan and create pieces of art and evaluate it. Children will also recognise how art has changed throughout the years as they are exposed to many artists and art movements.
The art curriculum will develop children’s critical abilities, as well as an understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritages through the study of a diverse range of artists. An example of this is in Year 3, children take inspiration from cubism artist Paul Klee and African American artist Alma Thomas. Finally in Year 4, who look at sculpture and the work of Alberto Giacometti, also study the works of Richard Hunt who is an African American sculptor. In Year 6, children study the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. All children will be exposed to artists from many cultural heritages from out ‘Art in the Moment’ displays.
Implementation
The teaching of art at Captain Webb Primary School is based on the National Curriculum and is also linked to class topics to ensure a well-structured approach. Knowledge and Skills that the children will develop, are effectively mapped out across each year group and are progressive throughout the school. Children are given the knowledge to help them understand the context of the artwork as well as the artist they are learning about. With this knowledge and the skills that follow they are able to take inspiration and produce individual pieces of artwork on their own Children are also given the chance to develop their artistic skills by being given opportunities to practise and master them.
Every year group at Captain Webb Primary School follows the same art journey:
1. Art Gallery – Looking at many pieces of art from a focus artist
2. Exploration of other artists
3. Introduction to new knowledge or skill (experimentation)
4. Evaluation of mediums or methods
5. Creating a plan
6. Creating their final piece
7. Evaluating
8. Acting upon evaluation
9. Comparing Artists (KS2 Only)
Our high-quality art curriculum is supported by a wide variety of art resources and mediums. These are used to help children experiment and develop confidence as they progress through the school.
Staff at Captain Webb Primary have also received high quality CPD training on the effective use of sketchbooks. This ensures all children at Captain Webb can use sketchbook effectively.
Impact
The structure of the art curriculum ensures that children are able to develop their knowledge and understanding of the work of artists, craftspeople and designers from a range of times and cultures and apply this knowledge to their own work. Our curriculum is well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. Children learn to understand the key principles of art: line, tone, texture, shape, form, space, pattern, colour, contrast, proportion and perspective. Children have the chance to refine their skills as they progress through year groups. This also supports children having age related expectations at the end of their year. Art is celebrated around the school with artwork being displayed throughout the school e.g. work displayed in classes, sculptures being displayed around the school.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
• Images of the children’s practical learning.
• Asking the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
• Moderation staff meetings where pupil’s books are scrutinised and there is the opportunity for a dialogue between teachers to understand their class’s work.
• Verbal feedback of work throughout the course of the lessons.
Art Policy
Art Skills and Knowledge Plans
Art Skills and Knowledge Plans – EYFS
Art and Design Skills – Medium Term Plans
Art – Medium Term Plans
Artists throughout the school
Artsmark Award
Over the past two years we have been working towards achieving a prestigious Artsmark Award which recognises a settings contribution towards the arts. We are delighted to announce that during half term we found out that we have been awarded an Artsmark Gold Award. The Artsmark Award is the only creative quality standard for schools, accredited by Arts Council England. It supports schools to develop and celebrate arts and cultural education, putting creativity and wellbeing at the heart of the curriculum. Artsmark ensures every young person can be creative and access a diverse, high-quality cultural education. We have seen a huge impact upon both children and staff at Captain Webb with initiatives such as Indian drumming on World Music Day as well as extra-curricular dance clubs. Here is some of the feedback we were given by the Artsmark assessors:
“You clearly value the arts and recognise their contribution to supporting your pupils’ emotional well-being and self-confidence.”
“You have used your Artsmark journey to develop children’s cultural capital by commissioning various theatre groups, including Loud Mouth Theatre, Hobgoblin Theatre Company and Image Theatre Company, so that every child has enjoyed watching live performances.”
“Music is a growing strength within your overall arts offer with lessons provided by specialist music teachers throughout the whole school, including EYFS sessions delivered by ‘Music Minors.”
“It is great to hear that you are beginning to develop pupil voice through your Arts Committee, and that they have relished the opportunity to work with your new partner, ‘Primary Workshops’ to plan and deliver Indian drumming workshops throughout the school in celebration of World Music Day.”
“Teachers’ confidence has increased because of working alongside music specialists. They have also strengthened their fine art skills by participating in training on the use of sketch books, led by Go Sketch.”
“Clearly, the dance club specifically for boys was also a successful initiative, with their performance at a local theatre supporting positive learning behaviours.”
Captain Webb – Arts Mark Statement of Interest
Captain Webb – Arts Mark Statement of Commitment