At Ganton School we believe that art needs to be incorporated into every subject area, we have the aspiration that all of our pupils will leave us with the ability to enjoy taking part in an art session, regardless of their needs or disabilities and this will change skill wise throughout their life at Ganton.
Given the complex needs of some of our learners and the challenges all face on a day to day basis, we appreciate that ‘Art’ may look different for each student. Never the less, at Ganton we strive for each pupil to achieve their full potential.
At the heart of our strategy it is our drive to enable each student to fulfil their art potential, this is enabled via the 3 individual pathways showing how to expand on an activity from pathway 1 and differentiate it to a pathway 3 students capabilities. Enabling the teacher to fulfil every students needs within the same lesson and theme.
For our sensory explorers this will involve interactive sensory activities often using a sensory tray activity to build on the different senses and skills.
Pathway 2 then leads into sequencing artwork and pathway 3 sequencing artwork/ project art. Art is a skill that enables a student to express themselves and develop a wide range of strategies to express how they are feeling. Each pathway offers a tailored amount of skills that a student can fulfil prior to moving to the next pathway and this runs from EYFS, KS1, KS2 and KS3&4.
Then moving into KS5 enterprise curriculum using art to run a business called Blue Ceramics. Blue ceramics gives the students the chance to gain valuable work experience skills within the safety of a school setting by running their own pottery business.
We recognise the importance of taking a consistent whole school approach to teaching the art curriculum and to enable this a theme planning document has been established. This document/ long term plan has been produced to enable continuity across all department showcasing activities as well as artists for inspiration to ensure all pupils have the same opportunities and are challenged to achieve their maximum potential.
At Ganton we have high expectations of all of our pupils and we encourage each and every one to challenge themselves, persistently promoting resilience over reliance in order to create confident, independent young people by the time they leave us for their next destination.
Art curriculum for the Sensory Explorer
Pupils in this pathway will experience art through their senses via the use of sensory based activities for example using a sensory tray to explore different mediums. Each student will learn via exploring different materials and processes rather than producing an end outcome, enjoying the adventure along the way! Within the sensory exploration section each student will engage with different mediums and explore the current theme through this. This enables each pathway one student to explore the theme through a medium in art that suits them, processing like and dislikes and making informed choices.
Art curriculum for those who are preparing for independence
Pupils in this pathway will start to sequence artwork building on ideas and processes what they have learnt in the previous pathway expanding on initial sensory processes to producing single pieces of artwork that is their representation of the current theme. Using the planning theme document to incorporate the use of an artist. Pupils will be given the tools to produce a piece of artwork that demonstrates different skills for example collaging, drawing, matching colours, sticking, printing and showing preference in mediums.
Art curriculum for those who are able to plan for independence
Art Curriculum Pathway 3 Similarly, pupils in this pathway will experience how to create a project artwork based on a theme incorporating fine motor skills and expanding on observational drawing, printing with accuracy and make informed colour choices. Other things to consider with in pathway 3 when developing a project are Develop and Research, Experiment and Refine, Record ideas and Final outcomes. For this section sustained art sessions over a longer time period based on one subject area will be needed. Artist discussions need to be incorporated into pathway 3 and related to the project produced
