Ridgeway’s art curriculum intends to develop pupils who are creative and inspired artists, with a wide variety of artistic skills that they can use across the curriculum and for their own enjoyment.

At Ridgeway we believe that learning is a change in long term memory, so we teach art every term to ensure that the children can fully immerse themselves and have opportunities to reflect and build on prior learning and skills.

The Art curriculum aims to ensure that all children:

• 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, designers and artistic movements.

Implementation

Children will learn a range of skills and techniques, using a range of mediums, more than once throughout their primary career. Each time they revisit a skill or technique, the study will be at a greater depth, allowing them to further develop previous knowledge and skills. Children will learn from artists who live/lived locally as well as those who live/lived internationally.

Skills and techniques

During their 6 years in primary school, children will learn and practice a range of artistic techniques: drawing; painting; craft; sculpture; and print.

These techniques are repeated over the years so that the children can build upon and refine their skills in each area. Throughout all projects, drawing and sketching will be a common thread and will be continuously developed.

Pupils will explore; line, tone, shape and shade, colour, form, pattern and texture throughout their school career.

Strands                                                                                                                                                      Our scheme of work is designed with four core strands that run throughout. The strands are making skills, formal elements, knowledge of artists and evaluating.

Mediums

In art lessons, children will use a range of mediums (materials and resources) to create their art: Pencils – drawing and coloured ; Felt pens; Charcoal and pastels; Clay; Paint; Screen printing ink; and junk modelling

The Early Year Foundation Stage children have daily access to an art provision areas where they can explore a variety of materials and techniques and develop their curiosity, awe and wonder. This is enhanced by outdoor learning where children can further develop and explore their artistic creativity.

Impact

The successful approach at Ridgeway results in a fun, engaging and high–quality art education that provides children with the foundations and knowledge to become creative and inspired artists.  Our learners will not only acquire the appropriate age-related knowledge but also skills which will equip them to progress into further education and their everyday lives with rich artistic vocabulary.

They will become confident artists, who can use a range of materials, skills and techniques, understand how to manipulate materials and apply these to their own works of art. They will have a sound knowledge about real artists, near and far, past and present and understand what inspired them to create and then in turn be inspired themselves.