Intent
At St Bonaventure’s we want children to love Art.
We provide a high quality Art education which engages, inspires and challenges pupils equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of Art. We focus on skills in drawing (line, tone, texture and pattern) painting , printing, collage and 3D work. We aim to develop the children’s understanding of their own and other cultures through studying a diverse range of artists so they gain a deeper understanding of how Art contributes to the creativity, heritage and wealth of our world.
Children will study artists’ interpretation of stories from the Old and New Testament; identifying symbols and linking these to the Christian faith and expressing their own ideas and feelings.
We believe children are capable of creating interesting, innovative and powerful artwork and it is our job as a school to help children experiment with ideas, reflect on their work and take risks.
Implementation
At St Bonaventure’s, the skills and knowledge that children will develop in Art are mapped out across each year group and throughout the school to ensure progression. A focus on skills ensures that children develop mastery in the key processes of Art as well as being provided with the opportunities to express their creativity. We study well-known and minority artists and designers who inspire and interest the children.
Art is given a high status in the curriculum and the children’s artwork is displayed across the school thereby encouraging children to take pride in their creations. Our school’s high-quality Art curriculum is supported through the availability of good quality and varied resources.
At St Bonaventure’s, children from Years 2-6 have their own sketchbook to practice new skills and record their learning. Teachers guide children to use their sketchbooks as a place for exploration, investigation and practice. They also have individual art folders for larger pieces of work and they take these home at the end of the school year. We encourage children to talk about their own work and evaluate it.
Impact
By the end of their time with us, we want children to have learned, improved and embedded a range of artistic skills. To be proficient in drawing and painting and be able to record their ideas and use subject-specific language.
They should have an awareness of a broad range of artists and be able to discuss and appreciate the artworks they come across. We want our children to be confident to develop their ideas, experiment and take risks, placing value on the process and journey that they take, not just on the finished product.
We want all our children to enjoy their Art lessons and use their imagination to express themselves as we believe this will have a positive impact on their wellbeing.