Expressive Arts & Design
Intent
Lumley Infant and Nursery School place a strong emphasis on developing children’s artistic and cultural awareness as it is fundamental in supporting their imagination and creativity. Children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The wide range of activities, resources and materials used are of a high quality, ensuring all pupils are able to develop their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to and observe.
Expressive Art and Design is categorised into two areas of learning:
- Creating with Materials
- Being Imaginative and Expressive
Knowledge and Key Skills Progression Grids:
ART & DESIGN – EYFS & KS1 Knowledge and Key Skills – Updated September 2022
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY – EYFS & KS1 Knowledge and Key Skills – Updated September 2022
MUSIC – EYFS & KS1 Knowledge and Key Skills – Updated September 2022
Implementation
Both Nursery and Reception children have weekly timetabled sessions to develop their ‘Early Art’, ‘Early Design Technology’ and ‘Early Music’ skills. Pupils are introduced to Key Artists within areas of art including abstract, impressionism and pointillism, as well as many famous craft-makers and designers. Pupils complete termly art projects, where they learn about a key artist, appraise their work, have the opportunity to apply the new skills or techniques taught and then finally create their own masterpieces. Pupils also complete a termly design and make project, developing their skills in food technology, textiles and mechanisms. Lumley Infant and Nursery School have invested heavily in the Durham Music Service, who deliver music sessions on a half termly basis to our Nursery and Reception pupils. Children in Reception also follow music schemes from Kapow Primary.
Within our Early Years, the environment ensures pupils are able to practice and apply their skills within many areas of the classroom and outdoor areas, during play-based learning. Children have a wide range of opportunities to create and be imaginative in art, junk modelling, play dough, role play, small world, construction and music areas. Staff ensure provision and resources are of a high quality and are carefully selected to meet and challenge the needs and abilities of all children within the setting. Adults play a key role in supporting and modelling skills, knowledge and language to children within play activities, challenging accordingly.
Impact
By the end of Reception most children:
Creating with Materials
- Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
- Share their creations, explaining the process they have used.
- Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.
Being Imaginative and Expressive
- Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher.
- Being a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs.
- Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate – try to move in time with music.
