At Whitemoor Primary School, we value Art as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Art provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thought and ideas. A high-quality art 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. This is what we aim to achieve at Whitemoor Academy.

As pupils progress through our art curriculum, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art. They should also know how art contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

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.

 All pupils have full access to the National Curriculum for art at Whitemoor Academy.

In addition:

• Art for years 1- 6 is taught by a specialist teacher in a purpose built classroom.
• Art clubs are also offered after school at various points in the year.
• Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have regular art sessions through a combination of teacher led and child led activities.
• Work is celebrated through art exhibitions and involvement in community projects such as Basford Arts Week

At the heart of our curriculum are the three core activities children engage with in Design and Technology:

• Activities which involve investigating and evaluating existing products
• Focused tasks in which children develop particular aspects of knowledge and skills
• Designing and making activities in which children design and make 'something' for 'somebody' for 'some purpose'

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It is also our aim to:

• ensure that there is a breadth of study across the areas in D & T.
• improve the pupils` creativity in  D & T.
• focus more on the process than the product.

• DT is taught as an integral part of the wider curriculum in all year groups.
• Teachers are supported in their planning, should they need to be, by the specialist art and design teacher.
• Teachers use curriculum days to support teaching of design and maximize opportunities for learning e.g. designing, making and evaluating outdoor shelters during the course of a day.