“Art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate.” Nina Baldwin

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At Streatham Wells, we highly value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Art and Design provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thought and ideas.

Art, craft and design embody some of 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.

Aims

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

1. Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
2. Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
3. Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
4. Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

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How you can help at home

There are many ways that you can help at home such as taking your child to visit local and national art galleries and then discussing what they like or don't like or how something makes them feel. You could also start a sketch book with your child allowing them to explore with different pens and pencils and to experiment with shading, perspective, composition and texture. Art is a hugely diverse subject so just letting your child explore and express their emotions or responses to visual stimuli is hugely beneficial.