“Creativity takes courage” Henri Matisse 

At Florence Melly we are artists! We want our children to love art and design. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be illustrators, graphic designers, curators or printmakers!  Our Art and Design curriculum has been carefully crafted so that our children develop their artistic capital. We want our children to remember their art and design lessons in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the opportunities they are presented with! 

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. National Curriculum (2013)

Bringing Art and Design Alive at Florence Melly!

We often use the vibrancy of Liverpool as a vehicle  to enrich pupils’ time in our school with memorable and unforgettable experiences, trips, lessons and clubs. Here are just a few examples of how we have brought our art and design curriculum alive this year:

• Pupils and our friends from ‘Scouse Flowerhouse’ (a community benefit society) joined forces with artist Ling Raaby Warlow and worked in partnership with banner-maker Peter Carney and the Truth and Legacy project about Hillsborough. The children were tracked with making paper-craft poppies which will be displayed in the Hillsborough Memorial banner this April. What an amazing and important project to be part of – we feel privileged and appreciate the opportunity.
• Our children in Year 4 have also been using Leonardo Da Vinci as inspiration for their drawing topic. The children were tasked with drawing our Headteacher, Mr Leach, and then they showed off their masterpieces in an exhibition for their parents/carers.

Our Art and Design Policy

Please take a few minutes to read through our Art and Design policy, created by our Art and Design Lead, Mrs Doyle. If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of this policy or our approach to reading, please get in touch: j.doyle@fmp.liverpool.sch.uk.

Our Art and Design Curriculum Rationale

Art and Design Subject Characteristics

Art and Design subject specific characteristics, which we expect the children to demonstrate, have been developed and shared with all stakeholders. These characteristics underpin all work in Art and Design and form a focal point for display areas and provide a common subject specific vocabulary for staff and pupils. 

At Florence Melly, we are Artists. We have…

• The ability to use visual language skilfully and convincingly (for example, line, shape, pattern, colour, texture, form) to express emotions, interpret observations, convey insights and accentuate their individuality.
• The ability to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form.
• The ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination.
• The ability to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate perceptively and powerfully through purposeful drawing in 2D, 3D or digital media. An impressive knowledge and understanding of other artists, craft makers and designers.
• The ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret ideas, observations and feelings. Independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity.
• The ability to select and use materials, processes and techniques skilfully and inventively to realise intentions and capitalise on the unexpected. The ability to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others.
• A passion for and a commitment to the subject.