Building Skills in Art and Design
This suite of learning tools and resources aims to help teachers and learners enjoy a truly purposeful journey of learning through Art and Design, drawing on the National Curriculum for art and design’s emphasis on the need to:
‘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 core aims of the National Curriculum for art and design at all Key Stages include:
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producing creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
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becoming proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
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evaluating and analysing creative works using the language of art, craft and design
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knowing about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Throughout the resources on this website, you will find ideas and support for developing children’s learning in art and design in all the above areas.
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Development of skills gained by working alongside artists, teachers and Quantocks staff can be documented in journals and sketchbooks. Journals can also be exhibited to share learning with the wider community.
Watch our film about making and using a nature journal link to Great Wood to get started and use the journals you create for other activities too.
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Sketchbooks and Journals help children organise and document their creative learning journey and are a requirement for every child from Key Stage 2 onwards. They are repositories for experimentation, ideas, creativity, visual research, drawing, doodling, poetry and personal insights about their experiences of landscape.
They can be used in the classroom, at home and during site or field studies, keeping learning from different times and places together. Sketchbooks are useful tools for reference and reflection as pupils develop knowledge, critical awareness and a sense of place and belonging.
Link to Art and Design KS 1-3 Programs of Study here