Art & Design
“Every artist was first an amateur” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
At Mount Nod, we believe that high-quality Art lessons will inspire children to think innovatively and allow children to express their individuality and creativity. It is our intention at Mount Nod to develop this natural desire for self-expression in Art and Design by providing stimulating and inspiring opportunities across a range of art experiences and to further develop their enquiring minds.
“I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say in any other way- things I had no words for.” - Georgia O’Keefe
Our Mount Nod artists learn transferrable skills such as observation, communication, perseverance, and resilience, allowing them to strengthen their love of lifelong learning. The engaging Art curriculum provides children with opportunities to develop their skills using a range of media and materials. Children learn the skills of drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, sculpture and digital art and are given the opportunity to explore and evaluate different creative ideas.
“Creativity takes courage” - Henri Matisse
With a progressive tool-kit of skills and knowledge and exciting projects to trigger their imagination, children will learn to express their ideas with freedom and enthusiasm within a rich cross-curricular approach: exploring, experimenting, creating and inventing. Children are encouraged to reflect on and evaluate their own work and that of others. They are introduced to a range of art works and styles and explore the work of artists from different periods and cultures and begin to understand how art impacts and enhances society and our surroundings. Our aim in Art is for children to further develop their curiosity and fascination of the world in which they live through the study of artists from across the world; adding to their understanding of the diversity of people, places and cultures.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
Teachers plan Art carefully using the Milestones objectives to ensure progression and depth as pupils advance through the key stages. Teachers are able to see what skills and knowledge have been taught previously then design a cycle of lessons for each subject - these often involve cross-curricular links with topics such as The Anglo-Saxons or Coventry in Wartime.
Children experience Art either each week (6-7 lessons per term) or in a block of lessons. A sequence of lessons/block (UNIT) is taught at least once a term which allows children sufficient time to develop their skills, flair and creativity and produce final pieces of work. Sketch books play a vital role in allowing the children to explore techniques, practise skills and develop their ideas.
Key objectives of intent within the Art & Design Curriculum are based on the National Curriculum 2014 guidance:
- Produce creative work, exploring ideas and recording experiences
- Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other techniques
- Evaluate and analyse creative works
- Know about great artists, craft makers and designers
- Understand the historical and cultural development of art forms
“Every child is an artist” - Pablo Picasso
We pride ourselves on providing learning opportunities that are accessible and ambitious for all learners, enabling all children to make progress and have a sense of achievement. We achieve this through sequential planning, allowing skills to be scaffolded and extended as appropriate. We also create an ethos of not being afraid to make ‘mistakes,’ but instead, for children to be risk-takers, problem solvers and to develop resilience.
Click here to view our Art and Design Milestones
Click here to view the Art and Design Programmes of Study (National Curriculum)
