ABSTRACT
The National Curriculum, with its aspirations for ‘breadth and balance’, has given status and recognition to art as a foundation subject in its own right – ‘art for art’s sake’. No longer is it sufficient for art activity solely to ‘service’ other areas of the curriculum, for example to illustrate topic work. In principle at least, the National Curriculum is committed to the notion of one ‘art for all’, with teachers answerable for the progress of all their pupils in understanding and using art as a form of expression and communication. Teachers have an obligation to ensure quality learning by pupils and that good standards are achieved in art, taking account of pupils’ relative ability to record what they have seen, imagined or recalled.
