Art

At Bywell Junior School, we recognize that Art stimulates creativity and imagination and understand that Art should be inclusive and accessible for all. We will encourage children to explore ideas and meanings through the work of a range of artists and designers. Art at Bywell instils an appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts.  Art and design stimulates imagination and creativity; involving children in a range of visual, tactile and sensory experiences, which enable children to communicate what they see, think and feel through the use of the elements of colour, texture, form and pattern. Children will develop endurance and show compassion in regards to each other’s work and their own efforts. This will promote self-esteem and positive mindsets within the school.

This year we intend to raise and maintain the profile of Art within school, participate in more local Art opportunities to promote the home/school links that are created within the school environment.

• Art is taught weekly by the class teacher 1 x 1 hour lesson. This is for a half term and then is swapped with DT.
• Have an overview of all the art topics taught, artists covered and skills progression throughout the school.
• It is important that overviews and guidance is available for the teachers at Bywell so they candeliver the lessons.
• Children should have an opportunity to respond and self-evaluate their own work and that of others.
• Looking at planning to ensure progression is clear and offer support and guidance where needed. This also includes undertaking book scrutinies and book celebrations to share good practice and to provide support where needed.
• To involve school with Art in the community, working with other schools and organizations whilst also including parents.
• Organizing opportunities to showcase children’s artwork and celebrate their sketchbooks.

Over the last year, we have been identifying the gaps in Art and reintroducing the subject to the children in a positive and exciting light. We decided to invest in a scheme of learning which would ensure coverage and progression across the year groups. After researching, it was apparent that KAPOW was the most in-depth scheme, that also offered guidance for staff to support with their own subject knowledge. After handing out staff questionnaires, it was clear that some members of staff were concerned about sequencing the lessons and demonstrating the key skills that were missed, with KAPOW these are embedded in the topics we have chosen.

As a result of these questionnaires, we planned and prepared a “Basic skills week” where the children explored different Art skills targeted at the year below the one they are currently in. The skills we covered varied in each year group but it became apparent that some children were not ready to move onto the more detailed skills. The units for the following year were picked after looking at the skills covered and also the interests of our children. On the pupil voice questionnaires, it was clear that some elements of Art were favored over others so we ensured these skills like painting for example were covered in the curriculum at some point over the year.

We then made sure that each year group had all the resources that they needed for each topic they would be teaching over the year by putting together black Art boxes which could be kept in each unit. This was explained to each member of staff and they are responsible for tracking and monitoring the resources to ensure the children were  receiving the best quality resources to match the learning of the subject.

Teachers were asked to assess pupils through-out the week using formative methods and the children that were identified as working below their year group or working above their year group were highlighted on the assessment document which were then handed in to the Art lead. This information was then disturbed to the current teacher of these children for this academic year. The work was then showcased in the corridor before parents evening for the children and parents to see the journey of Art at Bywell.

We have utilized the interest of the children in Year 6, who have offered to help run an Art club after school for the younger children. This was enjoyed by all the children and offered an after-school club that was more suitable for the creative minds in our school.

We participated in a local Art activity where we created a lantern with the help of an artist, Tony Wade who came into school and did a workshop with Year 4. We then adapted what he had taught us and rolled it out across the school to create our own lanterns which we then used in our Christmas carol concert. The children then had the opportunity to take these to Dewsbury Town Hall and participate in the lantern parade.

In terms of next steps, at Bywell we are going to adopt the Kapow Art scheme of learning and work towards ensuring that all year groups have three topics across the academic year.

The Art lessons this year have been enjoyed by all children across all year groups. They have had ample opportunity to demonstrate and develop key skills using the KAPOW scheme. Following the success of the lunchtime Art club, Y3 – Y5 children were invited to attend an Art after school club that the children really enjoyed. The feedback was excellent and the children expressed interest in more after school clubs involving Art and Crafts.

The staff have moved to a more formal method of assessment, using a spreadsheet to identify which children are working at the expected standard. The spreadsheet helps teachers to identify the children who need more support as it clearly outlines what to look for in an expected child in Art so there is no confusion. This then helped us to also identify the gifted children and help to push them and help them develop their love of the subject.

The resources have been moved to an Art cupboard located in Y4 to support with the next year of Art being taught by the Art subject leader.

The school will be taking part in a program offered by Kirklees Year of Music and the Royal Opera house. Primary schools across Kirklees are invited to take part in activity inspired by Mozart’s opera ‘The Magic Flute’, culminating in two celebration events in Kirklees: one with ROH artists and Musica Kirklees in December 2023 and the second with the ROH in Summer 2024. There has been an initial training session to deliver an overview of how the sessions will run and how it will help our school develop it’s cultural capital.

• Art to be led by the Art lead during PPA
• Staff to be released for training involved with ROH and KYM
• Art assessments used to identify any gaps in knowledge
• Art club to be run half termly by children in Y6 at lunchtime
• Pre knowledge assessment before start of a unit
• Key vocabulary displayed each lesson.
• Monitor progression of skills within the year groups.

• Art is now led by the Art lead during PPA
• Staff training is booked for the music element beginning on Friday 13^th
• Art assessments have started to be used to identify any gaps in knowledge across all year groups.
• A pre- knowledge assessment was given to all children prior to starting the units
• Key vocabulary is being displayed each lesson and the children are becoming familiar with the terms.
• I have familiarised myself with KAPOW and the new resource additions this academic year. I have given details of how to access the website to new staff members.
• The curriculum overview has been updated.
• Each class has been given new sketchbooks to work in and style in their own way.

• Art is now being taught by the class teachers.
• All new staff are able to access KAPOW and the training videos.
• Y3 have taken part in the ROH performance (6^th December), the feedback from staff and children was fantastic. Meeting the artists was a really valuable experience for the children.
• The beginning of unit assessments showed what children already knew and helped to inform the planning as the unit went on.
• The response from discussion with the children was all positive, they enjoyed having Art each week and using sketchbooks. They enjoyed the freedom of being creative and presenting their work in different ways.