Art
Intent
At Brookburn, we have designed a curriculum for Art and Design with the intent that our children, from the early years, develop a sense of creativity and self-expression. Pupils produce creative work, developing their technical skills in drawing, painting, sculpture and a range of other art, craft and design techniques. They are taught to evaluate, analyse and think critically about their own and others’ work; and gain a deeper understanding of how Art and Design reflects and shapes our history and how it contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our world.
Implementation
Art and design is taught discreetly, interwoven within our wider topic work. Enriched by cross-curricular links to other subjects, children study a range of great artists from different movements, cultures and disciplines, also learning to make links to their own work. Sketchbooks are used as a tool to nurture creativity and form an integral part of children’s development in Art and Design. In their sketchbooks, children are free to explore their ideas, share their opinions and record their experiences – they are encouraged to experiment and are taught that there are no right or wrong answers. In Key Stage 1, children learn how to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination, developing their mastery of techniques and a range of different materials in Key Stage 2.
Year groups 1-6 complete at least two in depth Art and Design projects, which link to their wider topics, creating connections between learning and thus allowing the children to build schema as they learn. Alongside these projects, pupils are also taught skills within each discipline of art and design (drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media etc), building on and developing the techniques they have learnt in previous years. During their time at Brookburn, Children also have the opportunity to work on a project with a local artist, to create a piece of art for display in our school.
In the Early Years there is continuous provision of art and design opportunities: these activities make important contributions to children’s development in the areas of Expressive Arts and Design and Communication and Language. They are also important in children’s Personal, Social and Emotional development. Art is covered in art lessons, continuous provision and as a means of communication and learning in other curriculum areas.
Impact
Children at Brookburn enjoy art and design and relish opportunities to be creative. Their creativity, self-expression and exploratory skills are evident not only in Art and Design, but across the curriculum, where they learn to express their ideas, take risks with and reflect on their learning and developing skills. By the end of Key Stage 2, sketchbooks demonstrate that control and techniques with a range of media have improved significantly through their time at Brookburn and provide a journal to record observations, review and revisit their ideas. We believe that by making links between our wider topics and the teaching of Art and Design, this enriches learning and supports the children making connections across different areas of education, helping us bring the curriculum to life with exciting opportunities, which contextualise teaching in a fun way for children.
DT
Intent
‘High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.’ National Curriculum for Design and Technology
At Brookburn we aspire to provide the best opportunities for all children to be able to contribute towards delivering the expectations of the above statement.
Design and Technology is an inspiring practical subject that draws upon a broad range of disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. It uses creativity and imagination for pupils to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.
We aim to ensure that all pupils;
- develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
- critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook
When designing and making, pupils will be taught through the following important elements relevant to the subject area:
Design
- design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
- generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology
- use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
- generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
Make
- select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing]
- select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics.
Evaluate
- explore, investigate, analyse and evaluate a range of existing products
- evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
- understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world
Technical knowledge
- build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
- explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products
- understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors]
- apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.
Cooking and Nutrition
As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.
At Brookburn, we use a range of resources, including the Rising Stars – Switched on Computing Units of study. Our staff are skilled in adapting these units to ensure there are opportunities for:
- Cross curricular work
- Spaced repetition of key computing concepts
- Developing personal and social skills, in particular around aspects of e-safety and digital citizenship
Implementation
Design and Technology is taught as a subject in its own right but is, interwoven within our wider topic work. Enriched by cross-curricular links to other subjects, children explore products and foods from around the world and interact with products and immerse themselves in the detail of a product unravelling or dismantling it to understand it’s structure and investigate a variety of materials with an understanding about how to create a similar functional product.. Through this process children are able to nurture creativity and are free to explore their ideas, share their opinions and record their experiences. They are constantly evaluating throughout the process of construction and are adapting and modifying to create a product that is able to serve its initial purpose. Children are encouraged to make respectful comments about different products in an attempt to improve product within a safe and healthy environment.
Impact
Children at Brookburn enjoy Design and Technology and relish opportunities to be creative and construct. Their creativity, self-expression and exploratory skills are evident not only Design and Technology, but across the curriculum, where they learn to express their ideas, take risks and reflect on their learning and developing skills. By the end of Key Stage 2, their work demonstrates that their control and techniques of making have improved significantly through their time at Brookburn and the progression made in the skills pertaining to this subject area is constantly evolving. We believe that by making links between our wider topics and the teaching of Design and Technology enriches learning and supports the children making connections across different areas of education, helping us bring the curriculum to life with exciting opportunities, which contextualise teaching in a fun, engaging and practical way for children.
