D&T Curriculum Vision

At Brackley C of E Junior School we have designed our curriculum with pupils learning and development at the heart. We are committed to providing a curriculum that is broad, balanced and offers opportunities to grow. It is the school’s curriculum vision that teachers strive for academic excellence and encourage every child to reach the highest levels of achievement and personal development. We recognise that every child is unique - therefore we are dedicated to providing a curriculum that is inclusive and meets the needs of every pupil by supporting them in becoming the best they can be, regardless of their background, special needs, ethnicity or disability. We strive to create a friendly, caring atmosphere which is designed to help every child flourish and realise their full potential. The school staff value the different ways in which pupils learn and plan lessons to account for these differences. Through our curriculum we aim for all pupils to be prepared to live life in all its fullness. We want them to be aspirational for their future and recognise that through valuing and participating fully in their education, everyone has a place and can contribute to the wider community.

D&T Subject Intent

Design and Technology at Brackley Junior School aims to inspire children through a broad range of practical experiences to create innovative designs which solve real and relevant problems within a variety of different contexts. The iterative design process is fundamental and runs throughout the taught units of work. This process encourages children to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when designing and creating solutions to the problems. As part of the iterative process, time is built in to reflect, evaluate and improve on prototypes using design criteria throughout to support this process. Opportunities are provided for children to evaluate key events and individuals who have helped shape the world, showing the real impact of design and technology on the wider environment and helping to inspire children to become the next generation of innovators.

D&T Subject Implementation

Design and Technology skills and understanding are built into lessons, following an iterative process. However, this is not to say that this structure is followed rigidly: it allows for the revision of ideas to become part of good practice and ultimately helps to build a depth to children's understanding. Through revisiting and consolidating skills, we help children build on prior knowledge alongside introducing new skills, knowledge, and challenges. The revision and introduction of key vocabulary is built into each lesson. Through Design and Technology lessons, we intend to inspire pupils and practitioners to develop a love of Design and Technology and see how it has helped shaped the ever-evolving technological world they live in.

Art Curriculum Vision

At Brackley C of E Junior School we have designed our curriculum with pupils learning and development at the heart. We are committed to providing a curriculum that is broad, balanced and offers opportunities to grow. It is the school’s curriculum vision that teachers strive for academic excellence and encourage every child to reach the highest levels of achievement and personal development. We recognise that every child is unique - therefore we are dedicated to providing a curriculum that is inclusive and meets the needs of every pupil by supporting them in becoming the best they can be, regardless of their background, special needs, ethnicity or disability. We strive to create a friendly, caring atmosphere which is designed to help every child flourish and realise their full potential. The school staff value the different ways in which pupils learn and plan lessons to account for these differences. Through our curriculum we aim for all pupils to be prepared to live life in all its fullness. We want them to be aspirational for their future and recognise that through valuing and participating fully in their education, everyone has a place and can contribute to the wider community.

Art Subject Intent

Our Art curriculum develops creativity, sets challenges, engages and inspires children and equips them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. It is our intention to build a strong foundation to equip the children for further artistic studies, so that when our pupils leave in year 6, they have a range of artistic skills and the ability select the most appropriate medium for varied purposes and audiences. We intend for children to have the opportunity to learn and master artistic skills, with a clear progression of skills being taught across the school. We also intend for children to be inspired by the works of other artists, giving them chance to analyse and replicate different styles of working. We believe that art should be taught as a developing process, building up and exploring different techniques and styles that can lead to the creation of a highly individualised final piece. We intend for our children not only to learn new skills, but to have the opportunity to apply and showcase the skills and progress they have made.

Art Subject Implementation

We have a curriculum that has been reshaped and adapted to better fit the progression of skills. Each year group completes three art units per year. These units focus on a progression of a skill (sketching/sculpting/painting),the use of a particular medium (oil pastels/watercolours) or an artist study. The children are given the opportunity to explore the work of two artists per year, learning about their lives, their practice and having the chance to try and replicate their artistic style.

In order to achieve our intent, we will continue to monitor the curriculum coverage, as we work alongside the class teachers to shape and adapt the art units. What we’re looking for:

• Lesson PowerPoints with key vocabulary outlined
• Opportunities for children to use the key vocabulary in lessons
• Learning journeys that show a skill being practised and developed
• Opportunities for the children to evaluate their work and the work of others
• Opportunities for the children to apply their learning when making a ‘final piece’