Art at Fellgate

Subject Lead: Mr G. Mills

On this page, you can find information about our art and design curriculum at Fellgate.

Intent:

At Fellgate Primary School art and design has a very important place in our curriculum. We see art as an opportunity for individual expression and creativity. It is an important form of cultural exploration and gives children the opportunity to explore a wide range of different materials and media. Our teaching provides an understanding of all the diverse art forms including using a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space so that the children feel confident to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. We link art to topics and the wider curriculum, including using art as a communication tool for some children. We always encourage resilience ensuring children understand there is no right or wrong and strengths are celebrated.  As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. In school we regularly take part in local and national art and design competitions and fundraising activities.

Aims:

The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

1. produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
2. become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
3. evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
4. know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Implementation:

At Fellgate, we teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression of the Cornerstones Curriculum for art and design from EYFS to Year 6. This ensures a well-structured approach to this creative subject. Cornerstones bases teaching on the four stages of our pedagogy, Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express. These clear teaching stages work very well for art but also enable the subject to be taught in a consistent and harmonious fashion alongside other curriculum subjects. Teachers also plan art and design based on the needs of the children in their class skills such as to develop fine motor skills or using art and design to aid communication.

Teachers at Fellgate have a positive ethos when teaching art and design ensuring all children’s work is celebrated.  Children produce creative work, exploring their ideas and record their experiences. They become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques. They also learn to evaluate and analyse creative techniques using the language of art, craft and design.  They know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms. As a school we have good links with The Baltic and have some classes taken part in the Baltic Stars programme where their work was displayed in the gallery, other classes have also accessed virtual workshops. We take every opportunity to enrich our Art and Design provision.

Impact:

Children at Fellgate leave as artists, with a love for the subject and the skills to equip them for a creative feature. When the children leave Fellgate Primary School they will be able to; draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination. They will have knowledge and understanding of artists and designers. They will think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inspire ideas. They will have independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity and they will be able to reflect on and analyse their own work and that of others. They will have memories of their art and design projects to last a lifetime.

Inclusion and Equal Opportunities:

All children can and will succeed in art. Where necessary, small tweaks are made to the delivery of lessons to enable the success of all learners. Our curriculum is fully inclusive and supports ranging needs and cultural diversity. We link art and design to celebrations, festivals and to local events.

Achievements:

• Two classes from the Base took part in a Baltic Starts project and had their work displayed in the Baltic for a term.
• We took part in the Heroes Stamp Design competition which contributed towards a Guinness World Records title for the largest postage stamp design competition.
• We had two runners up in a local Christmas card competition ran by the local MP Kate Osbourne based on the Jarrow Crusade
• We had two runners up in another local competition to commemorate 100 years since the introduction of the Addison Act which paved the way for social housing- the ‘Addison art competition’ where their work was also displayed at The Word
• Every year we create Christmas cards ran by ‘Cauliflower Cards’ to raise money for the school to use for our art and design lessons.

Subject Mantra:

We use subject mantras to develop our children’s understanding of the subjects they are learning. They also help our children make connections and develop their long term memory.

Here, you can find out about our Art Policy that will tell you more about the subject and how it is taught, monitored and assessed across the school.

Long Term Plan: