The Arts
Fairfield Park Lower School believes that the arts should be central to a well-rounded education. We provide a range of integrated experiences, carefully planned to fit in with topics, which give a dynamic focus for the pupils’ learning. We integrate the arts into the teaching of other subjects and find that this not only enhances pupils’ enjoyment but leads to better outcomes for all. The performing arts and related subjects act as a catalyst for cultural development and are a point at which different cultures meet and recognise one another’s worth and diversity. The arts have the power to inspire, inform, stimulate, challenge and entertain.
Intent
At Fairfield Park Lower School, we value The Arts as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. The Arts provide children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thought and ideas.
The Arts embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality Arts education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of Art, Music and Drama. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of all the Arts subjects. They should also know how the Arts both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.
Aims.
- Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
- Become proficient in the key skills in Art, Music and Speaking and Listening.
- Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
- Know about great artists, musicians and performers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Implementation
The teaching and implementation of the Arts subjects at Fairfield Park Lower school is based on the National Curriculum and linked to topics to ensure a well-structured approach to these creative subjects.
The children are taught as part of their termly topic work. The children's learning is further enhanced with a whole school annual ‘Arts Week’ where all children have the opportunity to work together to produce collaborative works of art, dances and musical performances, exploring a diverse range of artists and performers.
At Fairfield Park Lower School every child is a unique child and the opportunity to express and build their creativity is integral to our teaching and learning.
Impact
The impact of our Arts curriculum can be seen through classroom displays and the school environment.
Everything we do is with the child in mind, and strong relationships are built between pupils and staff which create an atmosphere for learning which is conducive to success.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
- Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning.
- Images of the children’s practical learning.
- Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
- Pupil’s books are scrutinised and there is the opportunity for a dialogue between teachers to understand their class’s work.
- Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum.
- Children in Foundation Stage are assessed within Expressive Arts and Design and their progress is tracked.
Learning Snapshot