The Arts

Art

Curriculum Intent:

We provide a safe and nurturing environment at Waterman so that pupils feel able to take creative risks and learn from them. Pupils are encouraged to develop into confident and independent artists who can speak about and evaluate the creative process they have been through while appreciating the creative journeys of others. We give the children opportunities to explore art by both famous and diverse artists and by doing so encourage them to expand their own knowledge, skills and understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritages. Our art curriculum also enables pupils to develop a natural sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them, linking closely with our school values (spirituality). 

Implementation:

The art curriculum is skills based and gives the children opportunities to practise these skills and ultimately, develop mastery. The techniques and processes of famous and significant artists are studied supported the acquiring of these skills. Evidence of the children’s work is collected in sketchbooks which follow the children throughout the school.

All Art lessons follow a sequence: 

1. Appreciation and reflection on pieces of Art work - this is not just writing about famous pieces of Art. 

2. Exploration and practise of specific techniques – which is recorded in sketch books to refer back to in later lessons. 

3. Planning their piece of Art through discussion in KS1 and using sketch books in KS2 – the journey of this should be recorded not just the best design. 

4. Create their own high-quality Art using the techniques but also having freedom and choice when applying their knowledge and using their own style. 

** Children review and improve as they are working.

Please visit HEARTS Academy Trust Curriculum for our Art curriculum.

Design & Technology (DT)

Curriculum Intent:

Design and Technology (DT) is a subject that offers children the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. It is our opinion that it is vital to encourage children’s creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the designed and made world in which we all live and work. It is planned in the DT curriculum that pupils will be able to make the links to designs and designers throughout history. They should critically reflect and evaluate their designs and consider their significance. DT works across other disciplines such as science, computing, maths and art which gives the learning greater purpose and relevance.

Implementation:

We use a variety of creative and practical activities to teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the interactive process of designing and making. We collect evidence of the children’s work and their progress within sketchbooks which follow the children throughout the school.

All D&T lessons follow a sequence:

• Consideration of the user and purpose of the product (design criteria)
• Investigation and evaluation of existing products thinking about how they are made and how effectively they fulfil their purpose.
• Perform focused tasks (Developing knowledge and technical skills)
• Design 'something' for 'somebody' for 'some purpose.'
• Make the product - applying knowledge and skills.
• Evaluate their own product against the design criteria.

Please visit HEARTS Academy Trust Curriculum for our Design & Technology curriculum.

Music

Curriculum Intent:

At Waterman our music curriculum aims to ensure that all children:

• Generate an enjoyment in listening to and performing music
• Develop self-esteem through performance
• Are engaged and inspired to develop their talent as musicians
• Appreciate and respect music from different cultures, traditions and styles
• Appreciate the beauty in music and engage with the ideas represented; developing a
  curiosity for music
• Perform music including singing and playing both tuned and untuned instruments
• Compose music on their own and with others
• Acquire knowledge and appreciation of famous composers and their significant work(s)
• Appreciate and appraise different styles of music including music throughout history
• Develop a wide vocabulary of musical terms

Implementation:

At Waterman, the music curriculum is mapped out and planned so that the children have a wide range of experiences in Music and allows the children to sing, listen, play, compose, perform and evaluate, in line with the National Curriculum (2014). This is carefully planned across the trust, and taught through systematic series of lessons, linked to the topic that term. Each lesson builds on the children’s prior knowledge, and supports the children in recognising and developing their talents. At our School, children have additional music lessons, taking part in African drumming and ukulele lessons with Sam (Estuary Drum Tuition).

Children have the opportunity to access a variety of tuned and untuned instruments and learn to read and record musical notation. As part of the curriculum, they create and compose music and expand their musical vocabulary by learning the language of music.

We also have regular singing assemblies that celebrate a diverse range of musicians and their music, concerts and other school performances. We recognise significant musicians in our assemblies which broadens the children’s awareness and understanding of the history of music and/or famous artists. Children learn how to sing individually and as part of an ensemble and this is celebrated in our assemblies and in performances.

We also have a very active school choir with a strong presence across the school and wider community. We have represented the school at the Rochford music festival, both singing in the choir and playing the African drums.

Please visit HEARTS Academy Trust Curriculum for our Music curriculum.