Art & Design
What we teach, why we teach it, and how it helps every child grow.
Our intent
A love of all things creative
EAt Weeton St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, we value Art and Design as an important part of our curriculum, providing children with opportunities to express themselves creatively, explore their ideas and develop their artistic skills. By the end of Year 6, we aim for all pupils to have developed knowledge of a range of artists, explored and applied a variety of artistic techniques and gained the confidence to appreciate, discuss and evaluate different forms of art.
We follow the Kapow Primary Art and Design Curriculum, which provides a structured progression of knowledge and skills throughout the school. The curriculum enables children to explore a wide range of artistic disciplines, including drawing, painting, sculpture, craft, design and mixed media. Through carefully sequenced lessons, pupils develop their understanding of colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space, building on their prior learning as they progress through each year group. Our curriculum supports the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the National Curriculum.
Throughout their learning, pupils are encouraged to experiment with different materials, explore a variety of techniques and develop their own creative ideas. They learn about significant artists, designers and craftspeople from different times and cultures, using their work as inspiration for their own creations. Children are also encouraged to reflect on, discuss and evaluate their artwork, developing their ability to explain their choices and recognise how art can communicate ideas, feelings and experiences.
Subject Lead
Miss Emily Bickerstaffe
We aim for our children to
- developing children’s communication skills, artistic vocabulary and creative ambition
- see themselves as an artist, regardless of their background, individual needs or ability
Implementation
How we teach it
At Weeton St Michael’s, Art and Design is taught through the Kapow Primary Art and Design Curriculum, which provides a clear progression of knowledge and skills from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through to Year 6. Our curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that all pupils have opportunities to explore a wide range of artistic techniques, materials and processes, including drawing, painting, sculpture, craft, design and mixed media.
Art and Design is taught through a sequence of engaging lessons that build on prior learning and develop pupils’ confidence, creativity and independence. Teachers follow the Kapow curriculum to ensure that knowledge and skills are progressively developed, while adapting teaching and resources to meet the individual needs of all learners, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Practical activities provide opportunities for children to experiment, make choices, solve problems and develop their own artistic style.
Throughout the school, pupils learn about a diverse range of artists, designers and craftspeople, exploring their work and using it to inspire their own creations. Children are encouraged to discuss and evaluate artwork, reflect on their creative processes and explain their ideas using appropriate artistic vocabulary. Sketchbooks and completed pieces of work provide opportunities for pupils to practise techniques, record ideas, reflect on progress and demonstrate the development of their artistic skills over time.
Every child can achieve in art
Teachers create an inclusive and stimulating learning environment where creativity is celebrated and all children are encouraged to take risks, experiment and learn from mistakes. Resources, practical demonstrations, visual examples and targeted support are used to ensure that every pupil can access the curriculum and achieve success. Links are made to other curriculum areas where appropriate, helping children recognise how art connects with history, culture, the natural world and everyday life.
The impact
How we know it is working
Assessment is an ongoing part of Art and Design teaching. Teachers use observation, questioning, discussion, sketchbooks and finished artwork to assess pupils’ understanding and identify next steps in learning. This information informs future teaching and helps ensure that children continue to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence. Subject leadership supports the consistent implementation of the curriculum through monitoring, reviewing pupils’ work and identifying opportunities for further development.
Through this approach, we aim to nurture a love of all things creative, ensuring that every child at Weeton St Michael’s has the opportunity to develop their artistic abilities, express themselves confidently and recognise themselves as an artist.
Each term the subject leader will
- Monitor pupils' work
- Interview pupils
- Evaluate assessments and identify trends
- Conduct a learning walk
Standards of teaching and learning in art are monitored by the subject leader and the headteacher. We review and develop the curriculum on an annual basis.
What children learn
National Curriculum expectations by key stage
Early Years Foundation Stage
During EYFS, pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have the opportunities to learn to:
• Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
• Share their creations, explaining the process they have used.
• Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.
Key Stage 1
Pupils are taught:
- to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
- to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
- to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
Key Stage 2
Pupils are taught:
• to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
• to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
• about great artists, architects and designers in history
Our whole-school curriculum vision
At Weeton St Michael's C of E Primary School, our vision is to provide our children with a high-quality, inclusive education inspired by Christian values. Excellent teaching and learning form the basis of all our work, delivered through a caring, creative ethos.
Our children are encouraged to have a positive attitude, develop resilience in their approach to learning, become confident in their own ability, and be independent and motivated to achieve their full potential.
We believe it is our duty to make learning fun, engaging, memorable, accessible and ambitious for all children, instilling in them a love of learning.
We take seriously our duty to teach children about the fundamental British values of mutual respect and tolerance, democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty. These values are woven through our curriculum so that our learners leave us prepared for life in modern Britain.
Documents
Take a closer look at the subjects we teach
Weeton Mathematics Progression Map
Our progression document details the precise knowledge taught in each unit of work.
Weeton Mathematics Progression Map
Our progression document details the precise knowledge taught in each unit of work.
Weeton Mathematics Progression Map
Our progression document details the precise knowledge taught in each unit of work.
Weeton Mathematics Progression Map
Our progression document details the precise knowledge taught in each unit of work.
Useful links
Good places to practise
We had added some resource links that our children actually use or which may be handy to learn at home.
Questions about the curriculum?
Our subject leaders are always happy to talk. Call 01253 836280
