Art

More able learners in art may display a selection of the following characteristics:

• Think and express themselves in creative, original ways
• Want to follow a different plan to others, challenge tasks given or extend their brief in seemingly unrelated directions
• Enthusiastic and interested in the visual world; have a strong desire to create in the visual form
• Driven by ideas and persevere until they have completed a task successfully, with little or no intervention from the teacher
• Take risks without knowing what the outcome will be
• Can be quirky and display humour
• Interested in the art world, art forms and culture
• Analyse and interpret their observations and present them creatively
• Work in innovative ways
• Enjoy experimenting with materials; able to go beyond the conventional and use materials and processes in creative and practical ways
• Communicate original ideas, insights and views
• Confidence in using a wide range of tools and techniques skilfully
• Keen to extend their technical abilities; sometimes get frustrated when other skills do not develop at the same time
• Explore ideas, problems and sources on their own and collaboratively, with a sense of purpose and meaning
• Make unusual connections between their own work and others’ work
• Critically evaluate visual work and other information

NB: Aptitudes in the arts may reveal themselves early given the right conditions, but can also remain hidden if a learner has limited encouragement or opportunity.