Art
"Art and design isn’t a just subject to learn, but an activity you can practise: with your hands, your eyes, your whole personality.”
Quentin Blake
At St Oswald's we encourage the children to find enjoyment, fulfilment and achievement in art, craft and design and to see themselves as artists, designers and craft workers. We value the art work of our children and celebrate their achievements with high quality displays, fostering a real sense of pride in their work.
Throughout all year groups, we offer a wide range of creative opportunities to develop artistic skills in drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, textiles and printing. We build on the artistic skills, experience and understanding which each child already possesses, ensuring a progression of key skills.
Most of our artwork is linked to cross curricular work which gives it a real purpose and also provides opportunities for studying historical, cultural and religious art. It is through these art activities that children develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. They also learn to use a range of materials and tools effectively and competently.
We teach our children to appreciate the work of artists and craftspeople and to use them as valuable sources of inspiration for their own work. They are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and that of their peers.
Art and Design National Curriculum
We aim to deliver the National Curriculum aims for art and design aims to ensure that all our pupils:
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produce creative work, exploring their ideas, experimenting and recording their experiences
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become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design methods
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evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
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know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
National Curriculum: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-art-and-design-programmes-of-study
Progression in Art and Design Key Strands
Key Stage 3 – National Curriculum Objectives
Pupils should be taught to develop their creativity and ideas, and increase proficiency in their execution. They should develop a critical understanding of artists, architects and designers, expressing reasoned judgements that can inform their own work.
Pupils should be taught:
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to use a range of techniques to record their observations in sketchbooks, journals and other media as a basis for exploring their ideas
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to use a range of techniques and media, including painting
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to increase their proficiency in the handling of different materials
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to analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, in order to strengthen the visual impact or applications of their work
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about the history of art, craft, design and architecture, including periods, styles and major movements from ancient times up to the present day
Art and Design Vocabulary
What are some of the important terms we aim for children to know and apply to their art? Here are a few examples and definitions of some of the important elements, but you will see other examples in our vocabulary progression document referenced later on this art page:
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Tone: This refers to the relative lightness/darkness of a colour. One colour can have an infinite number of tones.
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Pattern: A design in which lines, shapes, colours or forms are repeated. The part that is repeated is called a motif.
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Form: The term from has two meanings: it can refer to the overall form taken by the work- its physical nature. Or, within a work of art, it can refer to the element of shape among the various elements that make up the work.
The formal elements of tone, shape, colour, line, form, texture and pattern are all taught through our art curriculum.