Art Statement of Intent

At Sheringdale, our Art curriculum develops creativity, engages and inspires children, sets challenges and equips children with the skills and knowledge they need to design and create their own works of art. Children are encouraged to make thoughtful, independent choices about their ideas and evaluate their learning. Art is taught in a cross curricular way, with art lessons often carefully linking in with broader class themes and topics, while simultaneously ensuring specific Art skills are being covered. Learn, create, grow together is our school ethos and create is strongly centered in all that we do. Children are encouraged to use their imaginations as they develop their unique senses of style and awareness of colour, dimension and design.

Our Art curriculum provides a clear and comprehensive progression of skills taught from Early Years Foundation Stage through to Year 6.  During their time at Sheringdale all children learn about a wide selection of British and Global artists past and present, and are given opportunities to make links between their own work and that of other artists. In Early Years Foundation Stage, children are encouraged to explore colour and how colours can be changed and mixed. They are supported in understanding the use of lines to enclose a space, and then begin to use these shapes to represent objects. In Key stage one Pupils are taught to use a range of materials such as oil pastels, watercolour, chalk, charcoal, pencil, ink and clay effectively and creatively. They are taught to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. In Key stage two pupils are taught to further develop their technique, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

All children are given opportunities to work with Local London Artists who visit the school throughout the year, working together to create unique art installations and teach techniques such as screen printing and sculpting using natural materials. All children have access to a fully equipped Art Room, which can be used during Art Lessons and also as a cross curricular learning space.  Children are encouraged to take part in local community Art projects such as ‘The Fourth Plinth Schools Awards’ and ‘Window Wanderland’ this year. We ensure that every child feels their creativity is valued by putting up new exciting and colourful corridor displays of work by all children in Autumn and Summer terms. All children have access to online programmes such as Purple Mash and Busy Things at home and school, which include a wide range of Art and Design based activities to support their digital Art and design skills. Art and Design projects are celebrated in Workshare Assemblies, shared with all children across the school and parents and carers.