The key intent of the art curriculum at Montgomery is to ignite our children's creativity and imagination through the teaching and development of a range of artistic skills. Children will be taught how to create art in both 2d and 3d forms using a variety of mediums. They will extend and broaden their knowledge about the arts by exploring works by a range of international and local artists, sculptors and craftspeople. Furthermore, they will gain an understanding and appreciation of art from a variety of cultures, styles and periods of time. Trips to local museums and galleries, visits that facilitate cross curricular links and chances to take part in workshops run by ‘real life’ artists and craftspeople will provide the children with opportunities to deepen their knowledge of art and artistic concepts. Within EYFS children will develop skills and create artworks through a combination of adult facilitated and child-initiated activities. Children will learn how to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experiment with colour, design, texture, form and function. They will be encouraged to share their creations, explaining the process they have used. In Key stage 1 children will begin to learn how to use drawing, painting, and sculpture to develop and share their ideas and experiences based on firsthand observations and use of imagination. They will learn how to develop a wide range of art and design skills in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space, recording their findings and outcomes in a sketchbook. Children will learn about the work of a range of local and international artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work. At Key stage 2 pupils will be taught to further explore and develop techniques, honing their artistic skills and use of materials, with creativity, experimentation, whilst demonstrating an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. Pupils will use sketchbooks to record their observations and outcomes, using them to review and revisit ideas. The use of sketchbooks to encourage children to reflect on their practice will support children to improve their mastery of art and design techniques including drawing, painting, and sculpture with a broader range of materials. Furthermore, children will learn about great artists, architects and designers in history, discovering the processes and techniques they used to create their work. Across all Key Stages children will have the chance to work alongside real artists and craftspeople which will provide them with a valuable insight into artist practices. By studying a range of artist’s works and creating a range of artworks using a variety of materials and mediums our pupils will be provided with opportunities to experience and explore artistic concepts and create art in many forms. The opportunity to meet local artists and craftspeople will afford our children with an insight into the skills and techniques they use to produce their work. This will ultimately provide our children with an understanding of the employment opportunities and pathways available to them in the creative industries. Furthermore, by studying the work of artists and craftspeople across cultures, styles and periods of time our pupils will be encouraged to reflect upon and gain a deeper insight onto their own artistic development and practice. Children’s learning will be evident through development of skills, concepts and outcomes recorded in sketchbooks, pupil voice and work shared via Seesaw. Displays in and around school will showcase and provide snapshots of the children’s artistic learning journeys. Children will be provided with first-hand learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. As well as working with local artists and taking part in artist led workshops our children will be given the opportunity to visit places of interest to create their own artwork. Visits to and from local venues such as the Streatham Campus and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum will allow children to study artworks first-hand, giving them an insight into art from a variety of cultures, styles and periods of time. Children will also be provided with the chance to create their own art exhibitions and enter their artwork into local exhibitions, including the TRAIL exhibition, a recycled arts exhibit focusing on developing an awareness of environmental issues linking with our school values. Use of materials is also carefully considered with sustainable, recycled, reusable and eco-friendly materials being used wherever possible to create art works.