Art

Art and Design can engender an appreciation of human creativity and ignite innovation. At Humshaugh C of E (Aided) First School, our Art curriculum is guided by the words of Matisse, `creativity takes courage’. As teachers, we want to enable all pupils to feel able to think and act creatively, by providing a wealth of opportunities for pupils to explore and develop their own artistic knowledge and skills through the exploration of a variety of polarities:

 

  • Traditional skills are balanced with experimental work
  • Small scale work is balanced with large scale work.
  • Quiet reflective study is balanced with active, dynamic work.
  • Individual work is balanced with group work.
  • Two dimensional is balanced with three-dimensional work.
  • Study of historical “great” artists is balanced with contemporary artists.

In addition, pupils are be given the opportunity to experience how it feels to take creative risks as opposed to playing it safe; and the importance of their own artistic journey, as opposed to preconceived outcomes. In doing so, we hope to nurture creative individuals, who can grow to appreciate and value the importance of art as a highly subjective and individual experience, but one which is capable of bringing people together. 

Our Art curriculum is enriched through our Summer Forest School program, whereby children are given opportunities to create work in the outdoors, for example; environmental Art inspired by Andy Goldsworthy, clay creatures linking to stories and minibeasts, cynotype prints and ‘painting’ with plant pigments. The children also have an individual drawing pack with a field sketchbook and specialist drawing materials, for recording and responding to the natural environment through words and imagery.