Architecture in Primary Art

I've been having a look at the draft curriculum plans that are due to be bought in in September 2014 in England.

I'll be honest, I'm only coming up to my second year teaching art and so haven't really absorbed myself in any great number of art curriculum documents. Technique and skill have been my focus much like Patty over at Deep Space Sparkle. She feels that, like me, her job is to bring the art world to children, get them being creative and developing their skills at the same time. She doesn’t grade or follow standards and she is not reviewed. She uses the word ‘organic’. I feel I have been allowed that capacity by my school as well. As was always the case when I started teaching, developing self-esteem and confidence, this time in art (mine as well as the kids!) has also been my drive.

The point I'm getting to is that I am not familiar with any previous art curriculum besides that which was incorporated within the various cross curricular frameworks (yay...) as it's not been forced to be my main focus, for which I am thankful.

Was architecture a big feature in previous curriculum incarnations?

I jigged the year 5's Victorian art programme up a bit last year and we all loved it so I want to stick with it. We became architects for the day and studied and designed a Victorian house or building. I want to incorporate a Victorian architect's work and give some personality to the theme.

This summer, I took a purely-educational-and-for-research-purposes-only trip to Alton Towers. From the heights of the Runaway Train, at varying angles on Nemesis and Air and using an interior study of the ride 'Hex' I was able to study the beautiful yet striking Alton Towers house itself (for no other reason, I remind you! Killing Zombies in Duel, going 100kph in 2.5 seconds at 4.7g on Rita and having my stomach removed from me on Thirteen whilst my daughter laughs hysterically next to me was all in my break ;-) ).

Alton Towers itself is an imposing yet beautiful Victorian Gothic building designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, a rather busy and productive man of his time who actually died of exhaustion at 40 years old.

 

 

He was the architect behind the new Palace of Westminster/Houses of Parliament in London, completed in 1847. Pugin is said to have made over two thousand drawings for furniture, wallpaper, soft furnishings, tiles, woodwork, and metal work for the House of Lords.

There isn’t really anything on him for kids yet he designed many British landmarks. I suppose this is where I remember my kids are primary...maybe there is more to study at secondary level…

But then I remember that we teach them about the great artists so why not the great architects? Of which there are just as many. (Incidentally apparently I'm related to Sir Christopher Wren...I do still need to research this...but it was my Nan's claim to fame I think!). I was taught to be a science specialist with the belief that the children I am educating are future citizens, constructors, designers and engineers of our world and therefore need to start questioning and querying and prodding and understanding the world around them NOW. Why not do this in Art too? A fun look at architecture in Primary school could just spark something in one of those gorgeous minds.

Incidentally, in my research so far for the new curriculum for the UK, if that's what floats your boat:

“…the department published proposals to reform the national curriculum so that it is slimmer, focused on essential subject knowledge and which, especially in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, compares favourably with the curriculums taught in the most successful education jurisdictions in the world."

“... the current system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment and progress will be removed.  It will not be replaced. We believe this system is complicated and difficult to understand, especially for parents. It also encourages teachers to focus on a pupil’s current level, rather than consider more broadly what the pupil can actually do. Prescribing a single detailed approach to assessment does not fit with the curriculum freedoms we are giving schools.”

“The new programmes of study set out what should be taught by the end of each key stage.  We will give schools the freedom to develop a curriculum which is relevant to their pupils and enables them to meet these expectations.”

"Schools will be able to introduce their own approaches to formative assessment, to support pupil attainment and progression. The assessment framework should be built into the school curriculum, so that that schools can check what pupils have learned and whether they are on track to meet expectations at the end of the key stage, and so that they can report regularly to parents." 

Some useful links outlining the timescale and pathway of the UK curriculum, with particular focus on Art and design of course!

The main link:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00220600/draft-national-curriculum-programmes-of-study

Art and Design’s Programme of study:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00198792/art/ks2
No mention of architecture…only in KS1.

The old Assessment system:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00198792/art/attainment

It looks like they’ll be removing that as it is too confusing for parents. Well, I got the hang of it after 4 years, why can’t they? J

Art and Design before the new Curriculum comes in:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00198792/art

“…no longer statutory…” “…free to develop…” in preparation for the new curriculum. Sounds great. Ooh, I’m allowed to do that already!

Draft Art and Design curriculum from September 2014…
Can’t find anything on the gov.uk website, I just get sent to the ICT development committee. Dull. ;-) 

I continue my search. In the meantime, I’ll stick to my freedom to develop the art programme for my KS2ers. Even the government says it ok. Happy days.