Art stimulates imagination and creativity. Art enables us to communicate what we see, think and feel in ways that words alone simply are not capable of. Art provides us with both a universal language of colour, texture, form and pattern, and with limitless opportunities to combine these in new ways. It also provides a huge range of opportunities to develop our learning powers, particularly curiosity, empathy and independence. To find out more about what we teach and how learnng fits together, take a look at our skills and knowledge progression:  

• Skills and Knowledge Progression : Art
   

The aim of our Art and Design curriculum

We believe that it is vital for all children to experience and engage with a range of visual, tactile and sensory experiences - and, as we also know that many of our children do not have access to this outside of school, it is essential that we provide them with a rich diet of art throughout their Bedwell journey. This, in turn, equips our children with both key artistic skills and an enjoyment of the subject that will help them to become expressive, open, curious and independent adults. 

Our Art and Design curriculum identifies six core strands, which are each returned to, revised and built upon each year. Central to these is the ability to explore and develop ideas - including questioning and observation of the world around us, the use of discussion and analysis to foster creativity and the study of the role of artists, architects and designers. Alongside this, we have also identified two artists to study in each year group. The work of these great painters, sculptors and designers is used to stimulate discussion and an appreciation of their work, as well as inspiring artwork of our own. Their lives and work also provide a platform on which to develop the use of the language and vocabulary of art.

Experiences we want every child to have at Bedwell:

• Work collaboratively with an artist 
• Meet significant artists, discuss their work with them, give honest feedback on their work and be able to comment on their style 
• See an artist in action and talk to them about their work, process and inspirations 
• Visit galleries, both locally and nationally, and have opportunities to learn more about the historical and cultural significance of the artwork they encounter 
• Work collaboratively on a large scale piece 
• Show their work in a school or local gallery, and receive feedback from their audience 
• Experience the process of ‘being’ an artist, working on canvas, using an easel, organising, using and caring for their tools and seeking out new inspiration.

This term's learning

Year 3 - Our Rabbits have learnt about lots of different art styles this term. First we studied Pop Art, experimenting with body form and colour to create a Keith Haring style portrait - check out our class display on the right. Next up was clay work. As we have been learning to write dragon reports in English we combined this with learning how to sculpt and manipulate clay to create dragon eyes. We then learnt how to make slip to attach scales and horns.

Year 4 - Badgers  have learnt to shape and link clay this term, creating dragon eyes to link in with the dragon reports that they read.