Art

Our Intent for Art 

At WASPS we firmly believe that Art stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of communicating emotions, understanding and responding to the world around us. Art enables children of all abilities to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes. It presents ways to see and experience the feeling of excellence in a way that is different from other aspects of school life.

Through our Art curriculum, we encourage children to explore ideas and meanings through the work of a range of significant artists, sculptors and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and that of different times and cultures. The appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enriches all our lives.

Wherever possible, the work will link with other aspects of the curriculum to enable children to learn about the historical or cultural relevance of the skills and styles of art that they are exploring, whilst also learning about significant artists of the genre. Our Art curriculum provides the children with a progression of artistic skills whilst working towards a high-quality end product. Each year children will work on a selection of genres, from drawing, form, colour, pattern, texture, printing and sculpture – developing skills that allow them to realise their artistic abilities.

“As I work at my drawings, day after day, what seemed unattainable before is now gradually becoming possible. Slowly, I’m learning to observe and measure. I don’t stand quite so helpless before nature any longer.” – Vincent Van Gogh

At the heart of our Art curriculum is a love and understanding of the importance of The Arts – providing a rich and varied experience of the creative arts is central to our philosophy at WASPS and we believe it is central to the development of confident children. We provide a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities for the children in our school but also aim for it to be a central part of our curriculum. Beyond the Art curriculum, wider curriculum subjects provide learning opportunities to develop an understanding of how different forms of entertainment, performance and art have changed over time. These are then reflected on in an overview unit in Year 6.