Art & Design

Art, craft and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences, and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children to communicate what they see, feel and think, through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes. It engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

The objectives of art and design are:

to enable children to record from first-hand experience and from imagination, and to select their own ideas to use in their work;
to develop creativity and imagination through a range of complex activities;
to improve the children’s ability to control materials, tools and techniques;
to increase their critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art and design in different times and cultures;
to develop increasing confidence in the use of visual and tactile elements and materials;
to foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts, and a knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers.