Art and Design Technology

Art and Design Technology

Aims and Objectives

Art and Design Technology is a valued subject because it stimulates and embodies creativity and imagination. It can be taught inclusively through any topic or area of focus due to its vast scope across all of the world, or it can be taught instructively, with a focus on its wide array of skills and uses. It is incorporated and seen in everyday life. From posters created by digital designers, buildings and landmarks drawn up by architects, to the paintings presented to us for critique by renowned artists and even in the clothing illustrated and made by designers, such as those that envisioned the Southborough school uniform.

A high-quality Art and Design Technology education therefore provides a solid foundation for interpreting and understanding the surrounding world and should engage, inspire and challenge pupils.

Children should be able to think critically and develop an understanding and appreciation of the intricacies of where everyday art and items stem from to create and foster excitement in developing skills in the subject.

The National Curriculum for Art and Design Technology (2014) aims for all pupils to:

• Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
• Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
• Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural
• development of their art forms.

Our curriculum at Southborough provides a rich and impactful learning environment where the skills and understanding of Art and Design Technology are developed in a personal, safe and expressive cross-curricular manner which enables our pupils to communicate what they see, feel and think. 

Teaching and Learning

Every class will cover a unit of the National Curriculum each term, focusing on one specific area and the related skills. We have broken this down into 6 areas, 3 for DT and 3 for Art. This ensures a thorough coverage and a clear progression of each child’s artistic development each term and each year.
This can be seen in the Long Term Plan below:

Each term and unit of coverage links strongly to the classes current Power of Reading text to encourage an exciting, engaging and holistic learning journey.

Every Southborough pupil captures their individual ideas and the processes of their learning within their own Art & DT Journal, which travels with them throughout their school career. This journal allows the children to develop and snapshot every step of their explorative learning encapsulating their individual ideas, testing different mediums, planning, designing and developments for large scale pieces, analytical thought, new skills processes and the progression from each unit and between each year group.

Assessment and Recording

By the end of each key stage all pupils show signs of good progress and their Art Journals demonstrate their ability to fulfil each of the expectations of the National Curriculum.
In KS2, building upon the gradual and structured skills teaching in KS1, the children are encouraged to further refine and redraft their ideas, reflecting and following design specifications, to become critical of their craftsmanship and of their art. This is all recorded in their individual Art & DT Journals to support their learning journey towards mastery. Their Art & DT Journals are evidence of each child further developing their art and design technology understanding and techniques: drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials.

The children are also able to comment on great artists, architects and designers in history whilst recording their interpretations, observations and using these ideas to review, self-assess and revisit ideas.

Within DT, all children respond to a brief to create a purposeful product that fulfills a paticular need. This is responded to within the children's Art & DT Journals, where they design, plan, make and evaluate against a specific success criteria. This links strongly to their current Power of Reading text, where the protagonist is usually seeking the children's help. 

Furthermore, lessons are planned to facilitate the identification and support of children at all attainment ranges within each class and lessons are taught using skills based learning objectives to support each child’s progress and their class teacher’s assessment.

Inclusion

In-line with Southborough’s SEN Policy and ethos, Art and Design Technology lessons and activities are designed and planned to include all children through a range of approaches and supportive strategies: inclusive questioning and modelling, scaffolding, universal use of materials and equipment combined with mixed-ability groupings to enable peer support.

Regular opportunities for challenge and higher critical thinking are also planning for in advance throughout the teaching and learning of Art and Design Technology.

Furthermore, lessons are planned to facilitate the identification of children at all attainment ranges within each class.

We are also proud of our links to the community and regularly invite parents to support with special Art and Design Technology events on various days across the academic year, such as World Book Day, each classes Cooking Days and all special cross-curricular activities.

For the last 2 years, a team of upper KS2 children have represented the Southborough School at The Junior Enterprise Challenge. A 3 day competition attended by 14 primary schools from across Tunbridge Wells. This event is hosted by Salomon's Estate and lead by Beechwood School. The children are challenged to design, make, market, evaluate and pitch their own prototype that fulfills a specific brief given on Day 1. Southborough School were proud to win this event in 2018 and gain valuable feedback and experience in 2019.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development, British and Christian Values

The learning climate and culture at Southborough offers a multitude of opportunities to cover and embrace British and Christian Values. For example, the children demonstrate great ‘Perseverance’ throughout their Art and Design lessons when overcoming the challenge of learning new artistic skills and applying these methods. The values of ‘Compassion’ and ‘Hope’ intertwine with British Society and are also concepts that can be seen in the showcased work of many studied artists. Notwithstanding the stained glass windows of churches that depict important events and passages within Christianity. These events, biblical images and art pieces are explored, interpreted and critically studied within Southborough’s R.E. journey. The children also leave Southborough with a thorough understanding of how Art and Design Technology has shaped and contributed to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.