SGOIL LIONAIL
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
Department of Education 

EXPRESSIVE ARTS POLICY

Introduction      Expressive Arts encompass the following four subjects: Art and Design, Drama, Music and Physical Education, which may usefully be seen as constituting a generic field in education that places special emphasis on developing creativity, imagination and personal response in individual pupils. However, each subject represents a unique combination of ideas, skills and knowledge and each should, therefore, be regarded as an important element in the curriculum in its own right.
 

Aims                Aims of Lionel School are subsumed in the Expressive Arts policy, for example to:

Provide a coherent, relevant, broad-based, balanced, differentiated bilingual curriculum, giving full consideration to national and local Mathematics guidelines.  The various elements of the courses are planned and taught in an appropriate sequence to meet the range of needs, abilities and aspirations of pupils, and to promote progression and continuity in pupils’ learning. Productive links are made with other curriculum areas or subjects eg Health Education.

Provide a learning environment which is stimulating and challenging, where teaching plans provide concise and clear specifications of what pupils are expected to learn, how and when learning is to be undertaken, and where learning outcomes and assessment strategies are clearly stated.

Objectives        The Expressive Arts policy reflects ambitious, excellent local and national priorities for improvement, shows consistency with education authority aims, and focuses on improving standards of attainment and the quality of pupils’ learning experiences, as follows:

Inclusion          All pupils are entitled to a range of learning experiences in Expressive Arts.  When setting work to pupils with special needs, we refer to those pupils’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs).  We value and celebrate the diversity of our pupils and their families, and we appreciate the enrichment that this brings.
 

Attainment outcomes and targets       Expressive Arts attainment outcomes are described in terms of strands, attainment targets, skills and programmes of study.  Attainment outcomes are broad statements of knowledge, understanding, experience, skills, techniques and attitudes to be acquired by pupils. In the expressive arts curriculum, three attainment outcomes have been identified, applicable to each of the subjects, as representing the main kinds of expressive arts activities in which pupils take part.

Art and Design is described by attainment targets and programmes of study.

Music is described by attainment targets and programmes of study.

Physical Education is described by attainment targets and programmes of study.
 

Learning and Teaching           The learning and teaching approaches used within Lionel School, together with coordinated planning, should enable pupils to study and understand the strands, attainment targets, skills and programmes of study outlined within Expressive Arts, as follows:

 
Homework       The establishment of good study habits at an early age will contribute greatly towards the future educational success of pupils.  The most important support any parent can give to a student is to show a caring interest in the work done at home - provided the homework is not actually completed by the parent, the sharing of work can only be beneficial.  The school’s homework policy is complemented by advice from parentzonescotland.
 

Handbooks       The Art and Design, Music and Physical Education policy handbooks contain detailed information about the work of the departments.
 

Review            This policy was prepared in 2005 and will be reviewed in 2008.

Ag Amas Air Adhartas – Aiming for Advancement