Art and Design
At St. Patrick’s we value learning and teaching Art and Design because it stimulates creativity and promotes imagination through the use of a wide range of materials. It is also very effective as a cross-curricular link, adding to children’s experiences and depth of understanding in other areas of their learning, from creating their own artwork, sculptures and artefacts to enjoying the experiences of theatre, museum and gallery trips.
Art provides a stimulating learning environment where the pupil’s voice is paramount and each piece of artwork is valued and celebrated individually and collectively as a community. It is essential that children have the opportunity to learn and enjoy Art and Design from an early age to enrich their lives, develop creativity and inspire future careers in the arts.
Art and Design provides children with the opportunity to communicate what we see and feel through a variety of materials, textures, colours and patterns and provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences that are important to help all children gain an insight into the world around them. It can give children confidence and a chance to produce something without failure, something that is personal to them, inspiring them take ownership of their own learning.
Art and Design can enrich all other areas of the curriculum by adding a practical approach to learning. Children become aesthetically aware of their surroundings and can be involved in how they look. They learn to make informed judgements and practical decisions. They learn how art has influenced the way in which people live, how it communicates different periods of history and how it is a means of learning about different cultures.
The Arts are essential in delivering our mission statement successfully. We encourage a love of learning and work together to help individuals achieve happiness, self-belief, independence and fulfilment; always striving for excellence and innovation. The vision of the Art and Design curriculum includes enabling our pupils to reach their full potential, lead their own learning and become valued members of society through a creative, exciting, inspiring, engaging and culturally rich learning environment. By introducing the joys of creating, performing and experiencing art to our children, they gain the confidence to express themselves and develop the lifelong skills needed for critical and creative thinking.