As artists, we aim for our children to leave Distington Community school with:

• The ability to use visual language (for example, line, shape, pattern, colour, texture, form) to express emotions, interpret observations and convey insights.
• The ability to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form.
• The ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination.
• The ability to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate through purposeful drawing.
• A sound knowledge and understanding of other artists.
• The ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret ideas, observations and feelings.
• Independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity.
• The ability to select and use materials, processes and techniques so they can execute their ideas.

At Distington Community School, we follow the Learning Challenge Curriculum alongside the planning/ resource tool, KAPOW. Our scheme of work aims to inspire pupils and develop their confidence to experiment and invent their own works of art. It is designed to give pupils every opportunity to develop their ability, nurture their talent and interests, express their ideas and thoughts about the world, as well as learning about the rich heritage and culture of the British Isles and beyond.

Kapow Primary’s Art and design scheme of work supports pupils to meet the National curriculum end of key stage attainment targets and has been written to fully cover the National Society for Education in Art and Design’s progression competencies.

Art is taught half-termly within ‘Art Week’ (the last week of every half term) and is linked directly through our cross-curricular approach to learning using our Learning Challenge curriculum. Each group has their knowledge and skills outlined with the intent of each Art lesson ensuring coverage and a progression of knowledge/ skills year upon year (please see document attached below for knowledge and skills coverage).

Our scheme of work is designed with four strands that run throughout.

These are:

• Making skills
• Formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour)
• Knowledge of artists
• Evaluating

These strands are revisited throughout each unit. In our Art and design skills and our Formal elements of art units, pupils have the opportunity to learn and practise skills discretely. The knowledge and skills from these units are then applied throughout the other units in the scheme. Keys kills are revisited again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning.

Lessons are always practical in nature and encourage experimental and exploratory learning with Key Stage 1/ 2 pupils using sketchbooks to document their ideas. Differentiated guidance is available on Kapow for every lesson to ensure lessons can be accessed and enjoyed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.

We also offer children an opportunity to develop their art skills further by offering an afterschool art club which focus’ on developing a particular art skill once a term.

Working with 'The Laal Collective' (local artists)...

Our Art curriculum is enhanced further with local artists working alongside our children and staff, demonstrating particular art skills. We have collectively written a book along with illustrations. We brought the story to 'life' by performing it using props we'd made. Take a look at our finished product below. You will also find copies of our book in local libraries and our own school library.

Sophie Martin Illustrator Workshops...