I'm Eileen Adams and I'm an education consultant.
I'm here today to talk about the place of art, craft and design
in the national curriculum.
This states that art, craft and design embody the highest forms of human
creativity. 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.
The national curriculum for art, craft and design aims to ensure
that all pupils produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording
their experiences.
That they become proficient in drawing, painting,
sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
That they evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of
art, craft and design and that they know about great
artists, craft makers and designers and understand the historical and
cultural development of their art forms.
Three teachers tell us how they interpret these aims in early years,
in primary and in secondary schools.
My name is Marian Gager, I am Headteacher of Evesham Nursery School
in Worcestershire and I am here to talk about art, craft and design
in early years and the importance of sensory experiences
in the process of children's learning.
Early years education is about the process of learning and particularly
in our art, craft and design it's about giving children a
range of sensory experiences.
It's about providing children, through sources, that they can touch, they can
hear, they can see and that they can investigate and explore but
it's also about creating rich and inspiring learning environments
both indoors and outdoors - a type of workshop studio
where children can access resources and be confident in making
decisions and taking risks.
To ensure that children deepen their understanding and progress with their
learning we give them time. Time and opportunities to experiment and to
practice their skills.
They also need time to revisit their experiences and most importantly to
reflect on and learn from their mistakes.
The role of the adult is crucial in supporting children's learning,
intervening sensitively and challenging children's thinking.
In early years, learning is not compartmentalised.
Art, craft and design are integrated and all aspects of learning is connected,
with children working both independently and collaboratively.
The focus is very much on nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity
which is a fundamental part of the language of art, craft and design.
To engage the interest of boys and girls, we tried to start with first-hand
experiences, providing a range of objects with visual and tactile
properties for children to handle, discuss and understand
how things work. We share all kinds of work created by
professional artists, designers and craft workers from illustrators in
story books to the design of everyday objects.
Early years is not just a preparation for the next stage of education.
It's about meeting the needs and responding to the interests of young
children now.
We understand the importance of the creative process and we all strive
to help our children to be confident, effective learners.
Early years educators want children to be motivated and engaged.
They nurture children's imagination and encourage their innate
desire to find out more.
Art, craft and design has a very important part to play in helping
children to embrace with enthusiasm
a lifelong love of learning.
I am Natalie Deane, I am a primary practitioner at
Battyeford School in West Yorkshire.
In primary education, through the active creating, children and young people
learn to investigate, experiment and develop their own ideas.
The act of drawing and mark making should permeate all aspects of
our subject if young children have an array of materials on and with
which to make marks and these opportunities are revisited in
more complex processes as they progress through the key stages.
Children develop confidence in using a range of tools
for inquiry, to inform their own creative decision-making.
Engaging in creativity through quality art, craft and design activities
can provide inspiring starting points for investigations, for instance into
Filmmaking.
The use of touch screen technology and tablet devices in the classroom
is becoming much more prevalent and we can utilise these new technologies
in our subject.
However, the real beauty of the provision of filmic experiences
is that by nature, film is inclusive and all members of the school community can
bring something of themselves to such an experience.
Indeed many other areas of the curriculum can be explored
through film. Particularly in literacy, where language, story, scripting and
character development is key.
Animation in art, craft and design is a global industry with creativity
at the heart of its success.
It is important that pupils understand how the disciplines of
art, craft and design influence and shape our history and future.
Engagement in art, craft and design helps pupils refine experiments
into final works. That goes from experimentation, in to design,
through to making.
Often developing a heightened sensitivity towards a material that will guild the
outcome of the design.
This is precise, critical and intelligent work that enables pupils to think and
act as makers and designers, alongside which we help them to shape
a rich understanding of the role and importance
of the UK's cultural industries.
Experiences in our subject that make real and relevant links between society,
culture, art forms and collaborative practice can provide pupils with a
passion that transforms lives.
My name is Adam Elias and I am the subject leader for Art
at Paddington Academy in London. Today I'm here to discuss,
how for secondary education, the four aims of the national curriculum
ensure that all students receive a well-rounded education in art,
craft and design.
The four aims are not prescriptive but provide a framework upon which teachers
can develop a rich learning experience that addresses the needs of their students.
Schemes of learning are reviewed and adapted to ensure that in
art, craft and design students are immersed in the creative process
from inception to realisation.
Students should be exposed to a wide range of artistic, craft and design
experiences and be able to work in a range of media and techniques.
Drawing and mark making are used to underpin the development of
ideas that are realised in a range of media.
Formative assessment is a vital part of students learning and the four aims
need to underpin the learning process and inform how we value students work.
Students review how they explore, investigate, record and evaluate to
develop their creative thinking skills.
Students learn to understand, interpret, analyse, communicate and evaluate
their experience and ideas.
In art, craft and design education they do this
through using and visual language.
Through an understanding of the work of other artists,
craft makers and designers, students are more able to shape their
own ideas and communicate them effectively.
Children see before they speak, make marks before they write and
build before they walk.
However, their ability to appreciate and interpret what they observe,
communicate what they think and feel or make what they imagine and invent
is influenced by the quality of their art, craft and design education.
You have heard the aims of the new art and design curriculum.
You've heard how teachers in different phases of education
interpret these aims in their work in schools.
If you would like further guidance,
please visit these websites.