We are creative artists!
Art Intent
At Norton Campus, our intent is to provide children with opportunities to develop skills along with an opportunity to express their thoughts, interests and ideas which align with our trust design principles of activism, leadership and equity. Art is taught through our expedition curriculum meaning that work is purposeful, relevant and connects with our community. Art skills are engaged in, using our standards map. This map outlines the subject specific art skills that are needed for students to access a progressively demanding curriculum thereby achieving academic success.
We are lucky to have teachers and learning coaches with a keen interest/talent in art who support phases with their expedition planning and model any skills or use of media. Additionally, using ‘Jeff’s law’, staff are required to complete artwork themselves before teaching their children the skill. This allows teachers to successfully guide children through the task as they can mitigate against the potential risks and pitfalls.
Art is often planned and taught in 3 week blocks in a case study, this means that work is carefully sequenced, so children can build on prior knowledge and skills. This also supports our children knowing where their learning fits within an expedition.
Our culture at Norton is that SEND is everyone’s responsibility and inclusion encompasses all students. Our common mission is that all children feel empowered to access the curriculum and achieve their goals through varied strategies, which are regularly reviewed with them and parents, to meet their equitable needs.
Art Implementation
Our expeditions ensure that all artwork is the best it can be. At Norton Campus we drive art through the power of critique (self, peer or teacher). Children are taught to complete multiple drafts using the critique of: I notice, I praise, I wonder’ to consider how each draft can improve. This can be seen in recent expeditions such as How will what I do today impact the world tomorrow in which children developed their art skills using a range of sketching techniques. Children created multiple drafts of their pieces which were then incorporated into our final product which was a puzzle book aimed to teach children about animals in our local area.
Art Impact
Our children engage in learning that is made public to heighten accountability. This is manifest in the outward facing work they create which always has a public audience. Because student work is relevant, purposeful and authentic, this encourages students to craft their best work and grow their character. Children are encouraged to see that art can be a powerful tool to promote positive change.