Art and the school curriculum

The teaching of art in primary, secondary and special schools has undergone significant changes since the 1988 Education Reform Act and the introduction of the National Curriculum in the early 1990's.

At the time of writing, all children from age 5 - 14 are required to study art and music (although this may change), and after 14 can opt to take GCSE's or, later on, A-Levels or NVQ's in art. It is not compulsory for pupils over the age of 14 to study art, but they do have to study technology (design and information). The content of art lessons is defined by the National Curriculum in programmes of study which set out what pupils should be taught and attainment targets which set out what pupils are expected to learn by a given age. Pupils are grouped into four Key Stages according to their age band, and the teaching of subjects is organised on the basis of these as follows:-

The requirements of the National Curriculum may seem prescriptive but, in fact, there is a great deal of room to design imaginative and innovative projects. One of the significant changes to the art curriculum in recent years is that pupils are not only expected to make art, but to understand it as well. Richard Crawford, art teacher, Strategies for Learning:

'It is important that children should learn to discuss and to critically evaluate their own and other people's art works. This reflective activity is seen as complementary to the essentially expressive activity of making art, and through it children develop awareness of the broader context of art, and may come to see their own art in relation to the art of others.'

In the art curriculum there are two attainment targets (what pupils are expected to learn) which reflect this double strand of art teaching.

These are:-

1. Investigating and making
2. Knowledge and understanding

A well-designed art project includes elements of both these areas. For example, pupils could be asked to carry out, over a six-week period, a series of activities such as: recording, making observations, gathering resources and materials; developing ideas; exploring and using two and three-dimensional media; reviewing and modifying work; developing an understanding of the work of artists, craftspeople and designers; and responding to and evaluating art, including their own and others' work.

In addition to teaching individual subjects, teachers are expected to develop work which can cross the subject boundaries (cross-curricular teaching). Primary schools will often choose a theme such as The Greeks and devise a four to six week project in which pupils explore the theme in Art, English, History, Science, etc. In secondary schools, the National Curriculum has identified themes which should be taught. These are: economic and industrial understanding; environmental education; health education; careers education; and citizenship. Equal opportunities issues such as gender and multi-culturalism should run through all teaching.