Expressive Arts and Design

Intent

We teach Art and Design, Drama, Dance, Music and Poetry, to give our children the skills, knowledge, understanding and experiences to improve their resilience, self-esteem and confidence. Furthermore, we aim to ensure the needs of all of our children are met, whilst enriching their lives as a result. We want to create an environment where all children feel valued, where they don’t feel afraid to try and as a result they will feel proud of the work that they have produced. We want to provide all of our children with a range of opportunities and experiences that they may not otherwise encounter during their lives. We want to inspire, fascinate, excite and stimulate creativity and imagination through our ‘Arts’ curriculum, with the hope that we will inspire the next generation of artists, designers, actors/actresses, performers, musicians and poets. But, more importantly we will develop members of society who have a personal, social and cultural identity and who have an understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the ‘Arts’.

Implementation

We will achieve our aims by providing all of the children with a range of opportunities where they can develop their own skills, knowledge and understanding, whilst being inspired, motivated and engaged. In addition, the children will be able to build on their own familiar and/or prior experiences to help enhance their confidence and self-esteem (building on the skills, knowledge and understanding that was taught in previous academic years). We will do this during both the school day (for example; through lessons taught, external visitors coming in, going on trips, taking part in ‘Stunning Starts, Marvellous Middles and Fabulous Finishes’, taking part in Class Assemblies, End of Year Shows and Christmas Play Performances) and after school hours (for example; through the ‘Little Performers’ dance club and Drama club).

The ‘Arts’ cover a number of different areas, including; Art and Design, Drama, Music, Poetry and Dance.

Throughout the school, we use the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, the National Curriculum, Classroom Monitor and Charanga to help shape our ‘Arts’ curriculum and the areas that we cover. In addition, ‘Inspiring Music’ is taking place in Year 3 and 4, which focuses on providing Instrumental and Vocal Music Lessons to the children. Most of the ‘Arts’ are taught through our ‘Creative Curriculum’ and the different ‘Topics’ that are taught across the Key Stages. During the Early Year Foundation Stages, the children are exposed to a range of environments which support their individual interests, needs and this helps each child to build on their learning over time. Within these environments, the children have daily opportunities to independently engage with the ‘Arts’ whilst they explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. In most Year Groups and Key Stages, the ‘Arts’ are taught both alongside other subject areas and as standalone lessons that focus specifically on the ‘Arts’ subject. This helps the children to understand that the ‘Arts’ are not just standalone, but they are interweaved throughout our everyday life, both in school and in the wider world.

Impact

The above will provide the children with an environment where they feel valued, appreciated and respected. In addition, it will provide a ‘safe’ space where they feel like they can be their true self, where they can try things that they haven’t before and where they can build on their own skills, knowledge and understanding without feeling judged, without worrying or without comparing themselves to their peers. The children will be able to leave Flitwick Lower School with the confidence, motivation, inspiration and excitement to pursue the ‘Arts’ as they move throughout their life. Furthermore, the children will have developed into well-rounded members of society who are life-long learners, with resilience, high self-esteem/self-worth and with a love, appreciation and/or understanding of the ‘Arts’.