The Arts

Subject Co-ordinators: Mrs Higginson, Miss Halligan and Miss Curry 

Intentions of the Arts

At Elton Primary School we firmly believe that the arts embody some of the highest forms of human creativity and it is therefore our intention to ensure that our curriculum empowers our pupils to be able to express themselves confidently and creatively through high-quality and enriching opportunities. The opportunities within our arts curriculum will develop children’s critical abilities, as well as developing respect and empathy for the world around us through exploring their understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritage as they study a range of diverse artists and composers. It is our intention that our arts curriculum will allow our students to develop a mixture of both independence and teamwork skills through offering opportunities for them to work individually as composers, designers, and artists and also as part of a team undertaking larger DT projects or composing music in small groups or classes as examples. When developing skills such as composition and design, the children will gain key skills which can be continued and developed throughout their lives. At the centre of our arts curriculum, we endeavour to ensure our lessons are creative, engaging and challenging, helping also to broaden the children’s awareness of the wider world and creating a sense of purpose and pride in their work.

‘The arts are like your backbone. You may be

able to survive without your backbone but

what quality of life would you have?’

Sir Simon Rattle

Art and Design:

Purpose of study

A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge 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.

Aims

The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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

Music:

Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging. In our school, music brings communities together through the shared endeavour of whole-school singing, ensemble playing, experimenting with the creative process and, through the love of listening to friends and fellow pupils, performing. The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school.

Purpose of study

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.

Aims

The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the interrelated dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations

At Elton Primary School & Nursery we use the Scheme Charanga. Charanga meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum and is in line with the published Ofsted guidelines. The learning within this scheme is based on: Listening & Appraising: Musical activities- Creating & Exploring: and Singing & Preforming. 

Charanga supports:

• Interactive teaching: On screen resources are so visual and supportive so that every lesson is full of music that the children enjoy!
• Units of work: Accessible for all ages (3-11) and presented in a flexible way which cover a wide range of musical genres. Some of the units are full blown musical productions for seasonal festivals including Christmas, Harvest and Diwali.
• Musical toolkit: Supports the learning and understanding of music concepts such as pulse, rhythm and pitch.
• Listening centre: A collection of music covering a wide range of periods, styles and genres.

Design and Technology:

Purpose of study

Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Aims

The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
• build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
• critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook

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