“Art does not reproduce what you see. It makes us see.”

– Paul Klee

Intent

At Emmaus we know that art 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 is our intent at Emmaus for our children to become involved in shaping their environments through art activities. We want them to learn to make informed judgements, and aesthetic and practical decisions. The children will be guided and given the opportunity to explore ideas and meanings through the work of artists. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they will  explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and on different periods and cultures.

 At Emmaus  it is our intent that we want the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts to enrich all our lives.

In order to provide a range of opportunities for our children to develop as independent, successful learners with high aspirations, our Art curriculum is also intrinsically linked to our whole school curriculum drivers:

• Gospel Values
• Cultural Capital
• Diversity
• Independence
• High expectations

Gospel Values

As a joint denominational school, Christian values are at the forefront of daily school life at Emmaus. The values of ‘Hope’, ‘Trust’, ‘Friendship’ and ‘Love’ are actively promoted throughout our Art curriculum. Our children are encouraged to show respect for different people’s faiths, experiences, feelings and principles.

Cultural Capital

At Emmaus, we believe that a rich and broad curriculum builds cultural capital and we thus provide our children with a vast range of experiences and opportunities to help them progress and achieve success such as visits to Croxteth Country Park, Crosby beach, World Museum, Tate Gallery, Southport Eco Centre, St. John Bosco Arts College and the Anglican Cathedral. Through this, we aim to provide a bank of cultural experiences that our pupils can gain from different cultural opportunities.

Diversity

Art is, by definition, one of the most diverse creative outlets in itself therefore at Emmaus, we understand the importance of developing a curriculum that is diverse. We have built a curriculum that allows the children to expand their knowledge and understanding of many different identities in a manner appropriate to the subject matter being taught. The children study a range of artists such as Picasso, John Constable, Joe Forest and Anthony Gormley which allows them to release the true potential of our nation's artistic and cultural talent – from every background.

Independence

Our Art curriculum heavily promotes independent learning. The children are encouraged to explore and research for themselves and they are encouraged to express their own findings freely via their art sketchpad.

High Expectations

In line with all areas of our school curriculum, we have high expectations for all children to achieve their potential in Art - regardless of their starting points. The Art curriculum and assessment system at Emmaus is developed to ensure that we motivate pupils, monitor progress and achieve consistently high standards. There are high expectations for children to use appropriate vocabulary to articulate their findings and ideas.

Implementation

During the Early Years, young children will be given the opportunity to explore colour, texture, shape and form in two and three dimensions. The children will have access to a wide range of constructions, collage, painting and drawing activities, using appropriate tools and art materials. In order to tap into their artistic potential, the children will be encouraged to develop their own creative ideas.

During Key Stage 1, Art  is about expanding children’s creativity and imagination through providing art and craft and  activities relating to the children’s own identity and experiences, to natural and manufactured objects and materials with which they are familiar, and the locality in which they live. Children will explore the visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes and begin to understand and use colour, shape and space, pattern and texture, to represent their own ideas and feelings. Children will focus on the work of artists, craftspeople, other cultures, and sculptors and designers by asking and answering questions, such as: ‘What is it like?’ ‘What do I?

Key Stage 2 develops their techniques, including their control and their use of materials with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. In addition pupils.

Impact

Pupils at Emmaus will be able to use a range of materials to design and make products. Children will gain skills that enable them to use drawing, painting and sculpture to share their ideas, experiences and imagination. Children will create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas, and collect visual material to help them to develop their ideas. At Emmaus children will develop techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space using clay and printing to a large scale and in 3D. Children improve their mastery of techniques, such as drawing, painting and sculpture with materials (e.g. pencil, charcoal, paint, clay). Children have an awareness of the work of a range of artists and craftsmen  in history, and will  able to describe the differences and similarities between different art forms.