ABSTRACT
This chapter will explore the context in which Key Stage 2 Art coordinators are operating, consider the challenges they are facing and provide some possible pathways for development.
Primary schools have been positive in their response to national curriculum art. A large scale study into the readiness of primary schools to teach national curriculum art (Clement, 1993) revealed that nearly two-thirds of schools were ‘positive and welcoming’, almost a quarter were ‘cautious but considered’ and only the remainder were ‘negative or hostile’ in their response to the original Statutory Orders for Art (p. 5). This is an encouraging context in which to be coordinating art. More specifically the OFSTED Report (1993) identifies that ‘there was a strong link between the effectiveness of the subject coordinator and the overall standards of work in Art’, para. 26. While this could easily be a direct quote from the Oracle at Delphi, for the purposes of this chapter we shall pursue only positive interpretations of OFSTED’s perceived link and explore the implications. The national curriculum document that you are responsible for implementing has a useful structure and draws together many aspects of good practice. There are two attainment targets namely AT1 Investigation and Making and AT2 Knowledge and Understanding. Each AT has strands which are significant aspects of, or ways of, working in the ATs. These appear under the heading ‘7. Pupils should be given opportunities to . . .’ in the revised orders. There are useful programmes of study and, finally, end of Key Stage descriptors for assessment purposes. The nonstatutory guidance is particularly useful in most areas although much more was needed on assessment. As already stated national curriculum art is filled with explicit and implicit good practice but lacks a cohesive rationale or indeed a set of aims for art education in the primary curriculum. You will find it useful to allocate part of any time you are given for art INSET to a discussion of the aims of art education with your colleagues. The following (taken from Piotrowski, 1994) may make a useful starting point:
The aims of art education are for children to:
• develop the skills of art, namely drawing, use of colour, painting, printing, modelling, the use of textiles and textures;
• develop visual literacy and appreciation; • appreciate the work of other artists from a variety of cultures and
styles; • become able to verbalize personal responses to art – to know and use
effectively the language of art: line, colour, tone, shape, pattern, form and texture; and,
• to have the oppor tunity for per sonal expression and creative endeavour.
