At Heron Way, our understanding is that for children, art is primarily a means of expression, which grows out of and is a reflection of the individual child, whatever their level of development.  We believe that the final outcome is less significant than the child’s creative process - it is the thinking, feeling, perceiving and reaction to their environment that is important. Through Art and Design, children will benefit from a diverse curriculum that develops their skills, knowledge and techniques; offers an exciting range of opportunities to experience art and artists; captures their imagination and empowers them to explore their abilities and strengths without inhibition. 

Art is taught mainly discretely to embed knowledge - sometimes it can be linked to a topic, but care is taken to ensure the important knowledge is not lost within.  Topics are selected and planned by year groups with advice from the Subject Leader, who also monitors an Art and Design Overview to ensure progression and diverse opportunities.

• Acknowledge the child as an artist and value all their work.

• Use sketchbooks to record and explore and ensure that the creative process is celebrated.

• Choose relevant and wide-ranging topics to provide opportunities for exploration and acquiring and developing subject knowledge.

• Encourage children to talk about the work of artists and their own work and develop a rich vocabulary of art specific vocabulary. 

• Develop children’s confidence in using and selecting a range of media, tools and techniques to create their own awe-inspiring pieces of work.

• Create Unit Plans which are purposeful, teach skills and encourage the children to make connections.

• Plan discrete lessons to teach relevant techniques and use of appropriate tools and media.

• Encourage a ‘growth mindset’ approach to reduce inhibitions and barriers to expression.

• Model techniques and create art alongside the children.

• Ensure that marking and feedback takes place, so the children are clear about their next steps.

• Celebrate children’s work through ‘Gallery Walks’, displays and exhibitions.

• Facilitate children’s ability to evaluate the work of themselves and their peers and learn to accept and give constructive criticism.

• Ensure some opportunities each year for children to have free choice and use their individual creative impulses and develop their own means of expression eg through depicting emotions in Mental Health Week or creating a piece of art as part the transition process.

• Provide enriching experiences in the form of trips, visitors e.g., professional artists, links with secondary schools.

Children will leave Heron Way as knowledgeable art enthusiasts and artists who are confident in their own means of expression. They will complete their artistic journey by creating a final piece of their choice which demonstrates how they can use, apply and evaluate their knowledge and skills.