Creative Arts
Art and Design
Art at Starks Field is a highly valued subject. We believe creativity is important to children’s development and will support them with all areas of their learning. Art is taught every other half term through Kapow, an engaging and knowledge rich curriculum which focuses on discovering artists' work and techniques; taking inspiration from a range of artists to generate own ideas; exploring different mediums, such as drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, mixed media, craft techniques and sculpture skills; and exploring colour, form, line, pattern, shape, texture and tone. Children use all of this knowledge and experience to create their own final pieces, which they evaluate.
We have taken part in various events, including the Mayors’ Award for Visual Arts and the Tate Gallery's Year 3 project. Children are also given the opportunity to join our school art club, visit museums and express their views confidently using visual language. Our children take great pride in their work and at different times of year we invite our families in to enjoy an Art Gallery tour of the children's creations.
Pupils’ experiences of the visual arts are developed through visits to art galleries and museums and it is our aim that when pupils leave Starks Field they will have a broad and varied knowledge of art and they will have been exposed to a wide range of artists and art movements.
Design and Technology
At Starks Field we value design and technology as an opportunity for creativity and a chance to learn new skills. Children have many opportunities to design and make products which have relevance and use in real life. Design and technology is taught every other half term through Kapow, an engaging and knowledge rich curriculum which focuses on cooking and nutrition, mechanical systems, textiles, electrical systems, structures and the digital world. As part of their learning pupils learn through research and deconstructing models, planning and designing their products before constructing them using a range of materials. In every year group children then have the chance to learn the practical skills necessary to ensure their designs are fit for purpose, including measuring, cutting, shaping, sewing and weaving. After the project children evaluate and test their products to help them consider improvements for the future.
Design and Technology Curriculum 2024
Music
At Starks Field Primary School we follow the Kapow Primary Music Scheme to make sure every music lesson is of the highest quality. Children in every year group have weekly music lessons, where the pupils have lots of opportunities to immerse themselves in different genres of music as well as learn about great composers and musicians. They also learn to understand music, listen, respond, sing, play, compose, improvise and perform. Kapow’s scheme of work is built around the following five key areas:
- Listening and evaluating – expressing musical preferences; exploring the impact of musical ideas; understanding how effects are created by combining musical elements.
- Creating sound – exploring the children’s vocal skills; developing skills to manipulate sounds on a range of instruments.
- Notation – recognising the basics of musical notation; reading simple rhythmic patterns; developing the foundational knowledge of how staff and graphic notations can communicate music.
- Improvising and composing – creating and refining the children’s own music through improvisation and notation; experimenting with styles and features; employing musical concepts to add interest.
- Performing – using voices expressively; developing instrumental control and expression; performing as part of a group.
We also give children the opportunity to play instruments and perform at Starks Field. Enfield Music Service arranges for specialist music teachers to come to the school to teach children how to play and progress further. In Year 3 all children are taught the recorder and how to read sheet music by specialist teachers; children are then given the opportunity to continue learning the instrument. At the end of the term, extra concerts are held to inspire others and celebrate their achievements. We also have links with the organisation RockSteady, which offers fun and inclusive in-school rock and pop band lessons. There are also weekly singing assemblies where children perform a range of songs. We also take part in Spring and Summer Partnership Festivals where children are invited to sing alongside other schools in Enfield.
