Art & DT Knowledge Organisers
Our Approach to Arts and Culture
At The Marist our primary intent in teaching Art is to develop children’s confidence in experimenting with their imagination and creativity. Children study and learn to appreciate a range of media and artists and have numerous opportunities for their own creative response. Our curriculum enables children to develop their artistic skills progressively, throughout their time with us, and units of work are designed to build on children’s prior knowledge and skills.
Children in Key Stage 1 are taught a range of foundational skills and techniques, with studies of artwork and artists linked to their wider curriculum themes. Children in Key Stage 2 are introduced to more complex skills, techniques and artistic movements, with a ‘Foundation Year’ in Year 3 and then working on a three year rolling programme. Children are supported in developing their knowledge and understanding of influential artists within specific art movements and links are made to prior and further learning, often chronologically. The appreciation of and opportunities to respond to various artists and works of art is embedded within the spiritual life of the school and throughout our wider curriculum, for example in RE, History and English. Links are made to the wider social, cultural and historical context of the artistic movements and the diverse range of artists studied supports children in developing their understanding of a diverse global society.
Children have the opportunity to experiment with a range of techniques, based on their current artist’s work or movement, before creating their own final pieces in that style. They are encouraged to review and refine their work through our focus on oracy, using peer discussion, and they are able to build resilience and critical thinking through this process. Children’s work is celebrated and displayed in various showcase opportunities throughout the academic year.