Art and Design

Art and design at Langdale CE Primary School is delivered from EYFS to year 6. With the youngest of our learners having complete access to tool and resource stations, it is understood, right from the start, that art and design is a part of our school identity.

It is clear that there is a true love for art and design at Langdale. The children see it not only as a creative opportunity but also as a way to communicate, share ideas and work collaboratively. The opportunity to explore and create is a concept that develops with the children throughout their journey from EYFS to UKS2. Whilst all children are aiming for the same end goal, there are differing levels of support and challenge provided to each child. Throughout EYFS to year 6, children are provided with a strong provision that they are able to build upon in the next phase of their learning.

In Oak Class, children are encouraged to explore different materials, colours, shapes and styles. This exploration is key to understanding the world from not just an art and design perspective, but also a scientific and mathematical viewpoint. Alongside this exploration, children experience storytelling. This could be through self-portraits using shapes or it could be by creating a storyboard with characters and settings.

As an integral part of the Langdale curriculum, art and design is delivered using a Learning Beyond the Classroom approach that provides tangible experiences to attach their learning to. We are keen to demonstrate the 'life' of art and design and achieve this through the incorporation of artists as experts. From visiting Amy Williams at her exhibition at Blackwell, to inviting local authors/illustrators in to conduct illustration sessions (Dig a Den and Sleep Bear), all children at Langdale are immersed in the life of an artist/designer. Nurturing the role of artist/designer, children routinely take part in art competitions where they showcase their learning and creativity. This combined with visiting local and national exhibitions provides the children at Langdale with inspirational and memorable experiences.

Roman mosaics are founded on curious and thought-provoking subject matter and this is just one area the children focused on in their creation of the Langdale Mosaic.

They spent time in our beautiful outdoors drawing upon the view before creating plans and ultimately a stunning collective mosaic.

The children in Maple concluded their learning about Victorian fashion by crafting their very own outfits. Some chose to attend an evening ball whilst others opted for an outfit more suited to a garden party. They used newspaper as a base and then built upon this using a range of materials.

At Langdale, we love to explore storytelling within art. As well as building our own skills, we seek out opportunities to explore the work of local (and international!) artists. Here we joined one of our local churches in visiting their 'Feeding the 5000' installation. 

Langdale children love to explore artists from all around the world. They found themselves fascinated by the materials, themes and styles featured in Ancient Maya art pieces and artifacts. They took this interest, began to research before creating wonderfully successful Ancient Maya instruments harnessing the style and features they had discovered.

Through our relationship with local secondary schools, Maple class ventured to the Lakes School's Art department. The children created their own bowls using clay and then set about decorating them in an Indigenous Australian style. They were keen to incorporate the theme of a 'Journey' and see their piece of art as a storytelling device. Careful consideration was given to the use of tools whilst constructing and shades of colour when painting.

As one of their projects, Maple researched, designed, made and evaluated Stone Age structures. It is wonderful to see the children choosing great materials and tools to create the best they can.

Langdale children explored modern art at the local Merz Barn gallery and then created their own. The children also put their watercolour paintings of the valley up on display.