What we believe for our curriculum

Art is a powerful and very individual communication tool for our pupils. Through this media, Holbrook Primary School pupils can express their understanding of the world around them.  Holbrook’s thematic curriculum enables children to revisit core knowledge learned through the key literary texts and humanities topics which allows them to deepen their conceptual awareness, enabling them to apply demanding skills in other areas of learning.  Art combines the development of ideas and concepts, through to exploration and education of feeling, thus helping to educate the ‘whole’ child emotionally, aesthetically, spiritually, intellectually and socially. It fires their imagination and is a fundamental means of personal expression. Art can be a very useful tool to encourage and celebrate pupils’ sensory exploration and development. We want all our pupils to experience a wide and varied Art curriculum, which leaves them artistically curious.

Due to the nature of the Arts and its diversity there is no right or wrong way to create a piece of art, therefore our pupils can gain confidence and a feeling of achievement from whatever the end result may be. At Holbrook, pupils are encouraged to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes.  Children explore ideas and meanings through the work of artists and designers.  Art is not taught in isolation, although it retains its creative base and its skills and techniques, but where possibly it is linked to other areas of the curriculum giving pupils the opportunity to develop specific art skills and reinforce those already established.

How we put our aims into daily practice

Each year in Art, the children will focus on three of the six key skills in Art.  During the second year, the focus will be on the remaining key skills.  This means that, with a two year curriculum plan, years 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, will be able to practice all skills three times during KS1 and KS2.  Learning is matched to the different needs of learners enabling all pupils, such as SEND and pupil premium groups, to access additional or adapted resources where required. 

At Holbrook Primary School we offer opportunities for pupils to:

• Value and assess their own work and the achievements of others;
• Develop an understanding of the work of artists and designers and apply this knowledge to their own work;
• Stimulate creativity and imagination, exploring and experiencing different techniques, materials, processes and textures;
• Explore a tactile and sensory experience, providing a way to understand and respond to the world and communicate to others;
• To learn about the role of art in our environment as well as in different times and cultures;
• Make choices and be involved in sensory and communication activities within a practical learning experience;
• To consider the needs and preferences of others to help the development of their social awareness;
• To focus on challenges that are meaningful to them;
• To foster and understanding and enjoyment of art, craft and design whilst taking ownership of their own work and learning;
• Communicate using a range of media to avoid over reliance of the written word;
• Carry out practical tasks allowing them to make a contribution to the development of individual or group projects, rather than working to predetermined goals;
• Work within a flexible range of contexts and topics that can be adapted to suit individual interests and motivations;
• Use ICT to realise, develop and enhance their work;
• Work at their own pace and level, with appropriate staff support and intervention;
• Experiment with and use colour, form, shape, texture and pattern;
• Respond to, and communicate what they see, feel and think on their own and working with others;
• To apply acquired knowledge to their work, showing progression and development of their skills.

We are successful because

Assessment for each individual is completed termly on Target Tracker.  Expected attainment within each year is to complete six bands and be ‘secure’  within the year group by the end of the summer term.  In addition, the subject leader cycle closely follows the progress of year groups and analyses the most recent data to inform future planning and improve development where necessary.