Art 'in all its fullness'
Statement of Intent

At Holbrook C of E Primary School, we believe that art provides children with invaluable opportunities to immerse themselves in the beauty of the world and to appreciate, celebrate and recreate the experiences which shape their lives: it stimulates creativity and imagination; It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world; and it enables children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and through different materials and processes. 

Our intention is that all pupils achieve well in Art. Our carefully considered curriculum has been designed to ensure that they gain the necessary component skills and knowledge, appropriate to their age, so that they not only achieve Age Related Expectations in line with the prescribed National Curriculum, but also get the very best out of what Art has to offer.

 The children are taught to work with various media in order to develop their fine motor control, observational skills, appreciation of the use of colour, texture, line and form through the main areas of drawing, painting, 3D modelling, textiles and printmaking. The work of artists, designers and craftspeople, from other cultures and times, enables the children to look with interest and understanding at a variety of creative expression in 2D and 3D form.

The children learn to make informed judgements and make aesthetic and practical decisions. They have opportunities to work collaboratively, both inspiring and being inspired and become accustomed to looking at their own work and that of others critically and respectfully in order to improve and develop further. Art opens our eyes to creations made to express a sensitive vision about the world, whether real or imaginary. This can be a gateway to understanding different communities, locally and globally.

Our curriculum approach is carefully designed so that learning in the Early Years is built upon in Key Stage 1 and then again in Key Stage 2, so no matter the cycle, there are always clear links to earlier and future learning. You can see an example of how we make links below.

Oracy in Art

At Holbrook School, we aim to help pupils articulate their creative thoughts effectively. In our art lessons, we place emphasis on improving our oracy skills, and one of the methods we use is the use of 'Speak Like an Artist' prompt mats. These mats provide students with sentence stems, prompts, and vocabulary related to creating and analysing art. By encouraging students to discuss their artistic concepts, techniques, and interpretations technically and correctly with their peers, we create an environment where communication skills flourish alongside artistic talents.

How this fits within our school vision

Through our art curriculum, we hope to inspire our  pupils to see the world with a fresh perspective, to appreciate its beauty, and to find joy and meaning in their lives. We recognise that  art plays a crucial role in helping our pupils explore and celebrate the richness of life and believe that by nurturing their creativity and imagination, we can help them to live 'life in all its fullness', just as John 10:10 suggests.