At Aldryngton Primary School we believe that children should acquire the knowledge and skills to be an artist, to be proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art techniques, through their own ideas and by recording their experiences.

In Aldryngton, we aspire to deliver art and design lessons that engage, inspire and challenge our pupils. We equip children with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent, and create their own works of art, craft and design.

We provide opportunities for children to think critically, through observing well-known artists and art styles in history. We create opportunities for children to assess one another’s creations, to support further development of their own skills and techniques.

We develop rigorous understanding of art and design, through exploration of past and culturally diverse artists, to inspire and grow a passion for art and design.

How do we plan Art teaching at Aldryngton?

Our Art curriculum has been designed to cover statutory and non-statutory aspects of the Development Matters for EYFS and the National Curriculum.

All teachers link the teaching of Art with key topics taught in class, for example, exploring the artist Henri Rousseau in upper school during their Amazon topic. Through the topics, we celebrate a range of diverse art styles to enhance the children’s cultural capital.

We promote creativity by developing knowledge and skills in various disciplines building on previous skills taught throughout their school journey.

As a school, we conduct a yearly whole school assessment linked to a key discipline where the teachers assess each child to success criteria linked to Development Matters for EYFS and the National curriculum, for example, the sketch-a-shoe challenge conducted throughout the school.

Useful links

https://www.tate.org.uk/kids

The Tate Kids website is helpful for ideas to support your child’s art journey. The website provides valuable information about artists also, online games and quizzes. Also, visiting the Tate exhibitions in London will inspire your child, which is free. Remember to take a sketchbook for your child to learn and explore inspirational artists.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ACA5Ec9gcnxps9JNOzsXg?view_as=subscriber

The Arty Teacher on YouTube provides practical ideas for activities at home to inspire your child on their art journey.