Art & Design
To promote resilience, develop communication and ensure all pupils have access to all learning possibilities both in and out of the classroom. To promote resilience, develop communication and ensure all pupils have access to all learning possibilities both in and out of the classroom.
Intent
At John Scurr we have embraced the new curriculum in Art and design. Our curriculum intent is for pupils to learn more, do more and know more
What do we teach
Year 1
- Drawings based on seasonal changes and weather,
- Paintings inspired by Mondrian
- Printmaking
- Textile portraits
- Inukshuk sculptures
- Paul Klee inspired collage
- Creative response to the whole school project.
Year 2
- Mark-making
- Wassily Kandinsky inspired paintings
- Repeated patterns in printmaking
- Abstract collages
- 3-dimensional sculptures inspired by Aboriginal Art
- Creative response to the whole school project.
Year 3
- Stone Age drawings
- Paintings and mark making
- Textured prints and mono-prints
- Storytelling through textiles
- Louise Bourgeois and 3D insects
- Creative response to the whole-school project
Year 4
- Drawings inspired by Giorgio Morandi and Anglo-Saxon artefacts
- Georgia O’Keeffe paintings
- Gilbert Ahiagble weaving and dyeing techniques
- Alberto Giacometti inspired wire sculptures
- Painting techniques revisited looking at Helen Frankenthaler’s work
- Creative responses to the whole school project.
Year 5
- Subtractive drawing and enlarging images
- Reduction and stencil print-making linked to the work of Andy Warhol
- Lesley Richmond inspired nature collages
- Barbara Hepworth sculptures
- Watercolour techniques
- Creative response to the whole school project.
Year 6
- Portraits inspired by Frida Kahlo
- Still Life paintings
- One-point perspective
- Dale Chihuly inspired 3D structures
- Terry Gilecki inspired water paintings
- Creative response to the whole school project.
How do pupils learn
Students develop their ideas and skills in sketchbooks, using a variety of different materials and techniques every year. Each unit is supported by knowledge organisers which provide key artistic language and vocabulary students need to describe artworks and the process of art-making – informing both their own artistic practise and their critical thinking around key artists and artistic movements.
How does the curriculum progress
Each year children develop their skills and knowledge in drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, 3D art and collage by revisiting prior techniques as well as increasing their exposure to new artists and ways of working. While this core content is revisited in all year groups, as children develop artistically, skills which are taught separately in Year 1 may be combined to allow children to explore mixed media ways of working in later years.
For example, Year 1 pupils learn weaving skills and Year 3 pupils explore line and shape to make paper collages. This prior experience allows our Year 5 pupils to make informed artistic choices to create wall hangings with layered collage and weaving techniques. Key technical and tier 2 vocabulary is also mapped onto each unit, allowing children to build a rich bank of artistic language.
Links to learning
Artistic opportunities, when appropriate, are linked to curriculum learning and books students are reading in class. For example, observational contour drawing in Year 4 may be of Anglo-Saxon artefacts. Similarly, children are encouraged to read widely about the artists they are studying and have access to wider topic reading. Where suitable, children will also have opportunities to visit galleries or work alongside practising artists.
Social Development
At John Scurr School we participate in many other initiatives and activities to ensure all of our pupils receive a well-rounded, broad and balanced personal and social education.
You will see this not just within in our Edible Garden initiative and in our link with business partners from Canary Wharf but within our fundraising and Global learning projects.
Intent
- Grow our own food to sell at County Hall and to enjoy in our kitchen. We also work with specialists to make bread and clothing from our garden’s produce.
- Name our classes after leading presenters and performers who we believe are good role models and help us ‘Stand Up and Be Counted’.
- Work with Transport for London to ensure all our pupils are able to travel safely in their community and for their future life choices.
- Have introduced Zones of Regulation to ensure our practice is trauma informed and reactive to all our pupils Personal development.
- Collect food and goods for the Magpie Project and other local Food Banks as part of our Harvest Festival celebrations.
- Plan ‘Holiday Homework’ where families pre learn the Humanities areas of studies so that the families focus on the terms learning and vocabulary.
- Take part in local Prevent and Scooter safety initiatives education programmes to ensure our pupils are safe.
- Participate in On line safety and knife crime workshops that meet the needs of our pupil’s community and future safety.
- Have developed a Pupil Voice Committee to support fundraising and pupil voice in school – and organise events, such as Earth Day.