Cedarwood Primary School

Intent

At Cedarwood, we value every child’s individuality and see each of them as an artist. We recognise that art and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity and seek to foster in every child a passion for and appreciation of the arts which shapes their creative journey. We understand the benefits of art and design on pupils’ mental health and wellbeing and see this as an opportunity to explore emotion and develop self-expression.

Our curriculum aims to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. We aim to teach pupils to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design and the ways in which these reflect and shape our history and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Implementation

We follow the National Curriculum for Art and Design and have the following aims for all pupils:

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

At Cedarwood, we aim for excellence and enjoyment for all pupils, providing high quality, rich learning experiences to engage and inspire. We are ambitious for all children and seek to introduce to them the very best that has been thought, said and done within the world of art and design. This includes exposure to high quality sources and rich cultural experiences, such as the works of famous local, national and international artists.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced to build upon prior learning to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and cultural capital in drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, 3D and other art and design forms. Lessons provide opportunities for exploration and self-expression and encourage pupils to engage critically in their response to their own and other artists’ work.

The core principles of ‘Learning Without Limits’ and ‘High Challenge, Low threat’ are evident throughout the children’s art and design education and the inclusive nature of the subject, along with reasonable adjustments for individuals ensures that all pupils have full access to the curriculum and the opportunity to shine.

By creating a safe and nurturing environment, pupils are encouraged to take creative risk as and to learn from the journey rather than head towards a pre-defined end result.

Impact

By the end of their time with us, we aim for our pupils to have learned, improved and embedded a range of artistic skills, to have developed a passion for the arts and to have ignited in every child awe and wonderment and a love of art and design which enriches their lives now and in the future.