Art at Ferham Primary School 

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At Ferham Primary School we believe that Art plays a significant and valuable role in children’s education. It fires their imagination and provides children with opportunities for creativity and  self-expression (the pinnacle of Maslow’s hierarchy) that don’t rely on language or literacy skills. As such, Art is taught throughout school by combining artist study and cross-curricular learning. This begins in F1, developing mark-making skills to express feelings and ideas, to more complex sketching techniques and exploring other media throughout KS2.  

 

Curriculum Intent 

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Our Art curriculum is carefully structured to enable our pupils to become independent artists who can: 

• Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences 

• Become proficient in drawing, painting, printing and other art techniques 

• Evaluate and analyse their own and others’ creative work using the language of Art 

• Know about a diverse range of great artists, craft makers, designers, and illustrators and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms. 

 

Art is cohesively planned throughout school to ensure children are building on their skills, knowledge and understanding each year in a sequential and cumulative approach. These skills are developed using our Ferham Art progression grid which is based on the National Curriculum objectives. As pupils progress through our school, they are able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of Art as well as  refining their own artistic skills. 

 

Curriculum Implementation 

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The teaching and implementation of the Art curriculum at Ferham Primary School is based on the National Curriculum and is taught primarily through a topic-based approach: discrete art lessons are usually linked to the topic being covered in other areas of the curriculum.  

In EYFS, pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child-initiated and adult-directed activities. They begin by expressing ideas and feelings using mark-making and develop this by creating shapes and lines to represent objects such as faces. They have opportunities to use different materials freely in order to develop their ideas about how to use them and what to make. Children are able to explore the use of paint using their fingers and tools such as brushes to express their ideas and feelings. Children are also taught to explore colour and colour mixing using paint. Children also explore the work of famous artists and are taught how to evaluate and analyse their work through dedicated units. 

 

In Key Stage 1 and 2, children are taught through a cross-curricular approach with History and Geography often used as a basis for planning. They study a range of techniques and use these to develop skills in their sketchbooks before moving on to present their work in a final piece. Each unit begins with ‘discovery’ in which children are able to explore and discuss others’ work, sharing their own thoughts and feelings and using this to develop their own creativity and imagination. Discovery lessons also provide an opportunity for explicit vocabulary instruction. This is then displayed in classrooms with a definition or picture, as shown: 

 

We ensure that work is accessible to all pupils by using our Ferham progression document to ensure the learning is sequential and cumulative.  Art is shared with pride in our school with displays and on the school website/Twitter. Children use their sketchbooks as a tool in their artistic journey. They use them to practise and develop their skills, as well as sometimes using them to present their final pieces.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Curriculum Impact 

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We ascertain impact using assessment in three forms: assessment for learning; assessment as learning; and assessment of learning.   

In Art, assessment for learning is continuous as teachers adapt their teaching according to learners’ needs and providing immediate feedback in lessons. This may include remodelling techniques, using guides or templates or alternative media.  

In Art, assessment as learning is the start of every lesson. Pupils complete a retrieval exercise to recall and embed important art vocabulary into their long-term memories. Opportunities for skill retrieval are frequent during skill practice lessons and sessions are built into the curriculum to retrieve skills and knowledge from previous years 

In Art, assessment of learning takes two forms at Ferham. Weekly vocabulary retrieval practice ensures children know and understand the correct terms to describe their art, and the art of other artists. Where vocabulary is not yet embedded, it is revised and revisited. Pupils also complete a final project to showcase their proficiency of skills taught during each unit. This final project is used to complete a Key Skills Profile. The quality of the impact of the teaching of Art is assured through regular and varied monitoring: learning walks, pupil voice, planning support and scrutiny, book looks are conducted across the year with feedback shared to share best practice. 

Teachers report on pupil’s progress in Art as part of the annual written report.