Art

At St James’ Lanehead, Art and Design is thematically taught with topics mapped carefully against the whole curriculum. The new curriculum allows art to be taught at a better standard throughout the school with a focus on the teaching of discrete skills. We are also part of the ‘SWAT art professional development programme’ for our Art subject leader, this training is aimed to ensure that the teachers have the relevant skills and knowledge to teach art.

Our aims for Art and Design is to ensure that by the end of KS2 all pupils:

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

In order to achieve our aims, our teachers receive regular training and updates on ‘Arts Education’ to ensure that pupils experience the best possible teaching across a range of art forms. Pupils use art in a cross-curricular way and explore and develop their skills in: drawing, painting, 3D sculpture, textiles, ICT, printing and collage. We will be working towards the Arts Mark within the academic years 2020 – 2022. We are also aspirational to provide challenge to all pupils. The curriculum has been planned to run over a two-year cycle to enable all children to cover all aspects of the Art and Design curriculum.

In all key stages, children are taught about influential artists and exposed to their work. They are then given the opportunity to emulate the styles and techniques of these artists. Creativity is encouraged and children are given the freedom to express themselves. All children are able to take part, art lessons are enabling the children to express themselves and flourish. The children are then given the opportunity to apply skills across their topics.

Art Club is in place for all pupils in KS1 and KS2 regardless of ability or FSM status.

We always have a range of pupils’ art on display across school and regularly hold events where parents can attend to see art work that has been created by pupils. We also take art out into the local community and have displayed at various places.

As a school we have worked with talented artists and we are working towards the Art Mark in 2020.

Street Artist

As part of the School Improvement Plan to improve our learning environment, we invited a local street artist, Jamie, to come and decorate our school.

Jamie worked with the children to create the designs based on our Christian Values and what they think being a St James’ pupil means. Once the designs were created and the spray cans were filled, Jamie went to work and even let the children join in!

Take a look at the pictures to see the children with Jamie in action and also the finished product.