Art and Design Technology
Northill's Approach to the Art Curriculum
Learning within art, craft and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. We aim to develop skills, knowledge and provide exposure to art, either through first hand visits to galleries or through the use of high quality images from galleries.
Our art and design education will inspire, engage and challenge children, enabling them to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form and pattern. Children will become involved in shaping their environment through art and design activities, involving different creative techniques. They will explore ideas and meaning through the work of artists and designers. Additionally, as they learn about the history, roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact that it has on contemporary life and that of different times and cultures. Our art curriculum will also support the development of visual literacy, as children are encouraged to ‘read’ the stories told by art, to be, for example, history detectives and using clues available in many great works. They are encouraged to use art to make sense of the world and supplement their historical and geographical knowledge.
We teach art and design regularly. The children will cover an art topic at least once every other term and will also have additional opportunities to engage with art and design activities throughout the school year. We teach a predominantly skills-based curriculum, which covers drawing, painting, sculpture, textiles and printing, built upon the Access A`rt curriculum. We ensure that each child develops their skills and techniques in a way appropriate to them, through clear differentiation and support, active and purposeful experiences, and using a variety of art materials and teaching strategies. Each pupil has a sketch book which moves with them as they move through the school; this provides concrete evidence of their skills development and progression and enables them to look back on previously learnt skills as they develop new skills or create specific pieces of art work. We encourage each child to evaluate their art and design work and that of others, both with peers and adults and celebrate effort, progress and achievement in art through displays, exhibitions and enrichment activities, such as trips out and competitions.
Art Curriculum Documents
Northill's Approach to the Design Technology Curriculum
We believe that design technology prepares children to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. Creative thinking encourages children to make positive changes to their quality of life. The subject encourages children to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond by developing ideas and making products and systems.
Through our curriculum we aim:
- To develop imaginative thinking in children and to enable them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making;
- To enable children to talk about how things work, and to draw and model their ideas;
- To encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures;
- To foster enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making.
- To explore attitudes towards the made world and how we live and work within it;
- To develop an understanding of technological processes,
- To utilise the skills and expertise within our local community to show children the place of DT skills beyond the classroom