Art at Minterne

Statement of intent

The National Curriculum states that a ‘high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.’

At Minterne, our curriculum is designed to ensure that the teaching of art is not just engaging and inspiring, but also challenging, equipping our students with skills that will last them a lifetime.

SMSC and British Values

At Minterne, children are introduced to the work of great artists and experience wonder and awe at the achievements of these great works of art. They also experience admiration and respect for their peers’ work when they see the level of achievement and progress, understanding that this standard of work does not happen immediately but requires practice and perseverance. Pupils are encouraged to show compassion when assessing the work of others, understanding how their comments can build up or destroy another’s self-belief. When producing a piece of art, the work of children can become a spiritual encounter as that composition or sculpture develops and grows from the initial learning of skills.

Displays around the school and in classrooms show a variety of artwork from different age groups and abilities. This promotes children to be positive about their work and increases self-esteem.

Many of our art projects link with contextual themes involving various artists, cultures and civilizations from around the world. They lead to a greater understanding of different ways of life and a respect for cultures that are very different from our own and how they can enrich our own lives. The fusion of artwork between our own and other cultures leads to pupils incorporating designs, patterns and motifs in their own work developed by a deeper understanding of the culture.

How art is taught in lessons.

At Minterne, our art projects and activities are built upon a foundation of teaching specific art skills within a creative curriculum, aiming to instil a love of being creative that will last our pupils a lifetime. There is a clear pattern to the curriculum so that the new knowledge and skills taught each year build upon what has been taught before. 

Our creative curriculum uses art to access and explore learning in other subjects too. Many of our art projects stem from the books that we are studying in English, such as making collages to illustrate Greek myths and using printing techniques to portray fairy tale characters. In history, we make Stone Age Grooved Ware pots and Greek pottery and we explore the Amazon in geography through collage. 

As well as learning new skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printing, collage and weaving every year, pupils will learn how to take risks, to be observant, to make changes, to appreciate the art of others, and most importantly, to see creativity as a form of relaxation and pleasure, a process that is every bit as important as the finished product.  

Outside of lessons, pupils can also attend a weekly lunchtime drawing club, can choose to make props and paint scenery for school productions and participate in an annual competition to make a piece of art to be hung in the school library. There are also additional art activities provided throughout the year for disadvantaged pupils.

How is progression ensured in Art?

There is a clear sequence. Each year, the skills taught in the previous year are revised and built upon and these match the expectations in the National curriculum. All pupils will annually revise and learn skills in drawing, painting, printing and sculpture, as well as photography and digital skills and collage, texture and weaving skills. Throughout these they will learn how to explore and evaluate artwork, both that of themselves and their peers and of great artists.

Sharing Success

Each class is given opportunities to showcase their artwork throughout the year in displays of artwork in corridors and in classrooms. Each World Book Day classes participate in an art project and one child from each class has their work framed and hung in the library for the year. All pupils are welcome to attend the weekly lunchtime drawing club and some of these drawings are hung in the music corridor for all to see. Pupils are given the opportunity to enter public competitions throughout the year such as the Tunstall Church Christmas Tree competition and a Trust Christmas card competition and winners are celebrated in assembly.

How is art assessed

At the end of each art project, based on preparatory work in sketch books and finished pieces, the class teacher will assess each pupil’s demonstrated skills against year group expectations and assess pupils as emerging/expected/exceeding.  

Each Year group will be asked to collect photographs from each class which show a range of pupils using art skills as well as showing finished pieces of work. These photographs will be placed in an Art Big Book, labelled with the art skill being taught. This evidence can be used to ensure that there is progression in the skills taught as children move through the school.

Extra-curricular provision

At Minterne, all pupils are welcome to attend a weekly lunchtime drawing club. Approximately 45 children attend each week.

Links with the community

Minterne maintains strong links with the community through participation in local art competitions such as supporting the Tunstall Christmas Tree festival to designing flower arrangements on Swale Borough Council roundabouts.