Art, craft and design at Randwick

‘Art is something that makes you breathe with a different kind of happiness.’

- Anni Albers

Through art, craft and design we want to engage, inspire and challenge pupils by introducing them to a broad range of techniques, materials and artists, craftspeople and designers. We want to equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, explore, take risks, invent and create. It will enable them to be authentic and explore their own identity as well as being curious about respecting and connecting with others. 

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Randwick fulfils the requirements set out in the National Curriculum but aspires to go beyond this by providing children with an artistic education that is ambitious in its breadth and depth. 

Each topic introduces children to a diverse range of artists and movements. The artists have been carefully chosen to allow the children to explore not only a range of styles and mediums, but to find out how different identities and protected characteristics can be explored through the medium of art. Teachers present opportunities to discuss the impact that race, gender, sexual orientation and disability have on artists’ work and find ways to explore and express their own uniqueness and identity through their creations. Cross-curricular links with RE are fostered to allow art to function as a vehicle for understanding faith and religious belief. 

Art and design skills progress in complexity as the children move up through the school. Sketchbooks are used from KS1 for children to document their creative and learning journeys; where they have the opportunity to record, review and revisit their ideas. We feel these are a vital part of developing our children to work as artists, craft makers and designers. In every topic, sketching and painting opportunities are utilised 

Vocabulary connected to the focus artist, movement and medium is planned out and built upon progressively each year so children can talk confidently and accurately about their own art and that created by others. 

Children complete three art and design topics each year, alternating termly between art and design, and design technology. Art learning journeys are connected to the topics explored in class, to ensure children are able to make meaningful and enriching connections between their learning and draw on other subjects for inspiration.

Assessment in the art curriculum is a holistic process and should teach pupils: how to become independent artists, craft makers and designers, to know and understand the creative process, to ask themselves the right questions and to be able to accept praise and take advice in equal measures.

At Randwick, we are keen to take art learning outside of the classroom. We make full use of the wonderful environment surrounding our school for inspiration and take trips to visit local galleries and exhibitions. We also foster links with artists from our community who come into school to share their expertise. Each year, every child has their work presented in an exhibition for the wider community to visit and engage with. 

How can you support your child with Art?

• Don’t be afraid to get messy! Try to get hold of lots of different types of art materials so your child can experiment and get creative. Paints, crayons, pens and pencils modelling materials and much more are available in discount shops such as The Works. You can also use household objects creatively such as pasta and pulses to create collages using glue.
• Encourage your child to keep a sketchbook. Suggest that your child takes it with them when they go out so they can look for interesting things to sketch. This type of art activity promotes careful observation and an appreciation of the world around us.
•  Celebrate your child’s art work. Remember to praise your child’s artistic endeavours and encourage them not to get disheartened if their creation doesn’t turn out as they had hoped. Explain that there is no right or wrong way to do things and that art is about being creative and trying different things. Celebrate their art by creating a little gallery in the kitchen or in their bedroom.
• Enjoy art together. Visit local art galleries or museums. Encourage your child to talk about what they can see and to share their opinions about the subject matter, colours, what materials the artist used and so on.

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