Art & Design

Intent

“Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” – Pablo Picasso

Priory’s Art & Design curriculum intent mirrors that of the whole school.

At Penwortham Priory Academy the Art, Craft & Design curriculum is designed to engage, inspire, and challenge all learners, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft, and design. We recognise that all learners will have been exposed to Art, Craft & Design at different levels throughout Key Stage 2. 

Throughout Key Stage 3, learners will build on their prior learning experiences by developing their proficiency in the areas of drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft, and design techniques.  The curriculum gives all learners the opportunity to develop their creativity within the subject alongside the life skills of communication, resilience, leadership, and organisation. The learning experiences use ‘BIG Questions’ – which enables the production of creativity in their work, exploration of their ideas and recording of their experiences.

Knowledge underpins the Art and Design curriculum, therefore classroom-based learning about art and design is taught as an integral part of practical lessons. All learners are given an overview of their learning journey at the start of their unit of work so that they know what they’ll be learning, the skills they’ll develop, why they need to know this and how they’ll learn it. This is provided in the form of the personal learning checklist – PLC and helps them understand the art and design schema and helps them understand how this subject links to others.

The Art and Design curriculum is sequenced to build on existing knowledge and skills, and incrementally develop new knowledge of materials, processes, and artists. The use of PLCs (personal Learning checklist), modelling, examples of good practice, spaced retrieval, embedded practice, and reflection are used to ensure that Art and Design concepts are understood, and knowledge remembered.  During class discussion, analysis of our own work and that of others, enables a positive emphasis on the acquisition of tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary through modelling and explanation. 

As pupils progress through Key Stage 3, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation and the world. A formal structure at KS3 enables a secure foundation in readiness for a more flexible structure at KS4 that supports a personalised, incremental development of creative practice at GCSE.

All learners are continually required to think hard in lessons using ‘higher order’ skills such as analysis and evaluation through their own work, that of great artists, craft makers and designers, and the historical and cultural development of art forms. Through this work, learners will be encouraged to use the broad language of art, craft, and design, informed through the reading of online information sources and the use of visual literacy within lessons.
In addition to the diverse and rich opportunities offered through lessons, we value opportunities to take pupils out on trips and visits of artistic value and enhance the curriculum by inviting relevant specialists in. Extra-curricular opportunities such as external art and craft events, art clubs and inter-house competitions are offered to pupils and staff.