Art and DESIGN
At Belmont C of E Primary School, we believe art is an exciting subject, one that is rich, joyful and celebratory, and we want children to feel inspired and challenged in every lesson. During their time at Belmont, children will grow and evolve as artists, confidently expressing their individual interests and ideas through a variety of art mediums. Our intention is to equip them with knowledge of artists and designers, tools and techniques, so that they learn to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As children progress, they will be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of Art and Design and the way art movements have shaped our history and contributed to our cultural wealth. At Belmont C of E Primary School, we see that Art and Design supports learning across the curriculum by encouraging children to be bold, take risks, and by learning about the cultural heritage of County Durham and a diverse range of artists.
Curriculum Rationale
The current national curriculum states that the aims of art and design are to make sure that all pupils:
- produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
- become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
- evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
- know about great artists, craft-makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms
Although only drawing, painting and sculpture are mentioned by name in the National Curriculum, we aim to cover 10 of the 12 different ‘areas of making’ during a child’s time at school. These include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, collage, photography and lens-based media, installation and site-specific work, digital and new media and design and graphic design.
Children study three blocks of art each year, recording work in sketchbooks. The first block is focused on drawing skills, the second on surface and colour, and the third working in three dimensions. This structure ensures children receive a wide and inspiring art curriculum every year, develop practical knowledge of how to create different kinds of art and build their theoretical knowledge of tools, materials and the history of art.
Additional events enrich our Art and Design provision, including our bi-annual Belmont Lumiere event which builds on the cultural capital of Durham Lumiere by giving children the opportunity to create site-specific artwork using light that is then displayed around the school grounds for families to visit. We also hold a summer Art Exhibition where every child produces an artwork to be displayed at the exhibition which is open for families to visit. In addition, after-school art and craft clubs are provided throughout the year.
Art in EYFS
