Stock images from coloured pencils

A high-quality art and design curriculum engages, inspires and challenges pupils. Our focus is equipping pupils with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. Through this progressive curriculum, pupils will be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. Through studying prominent national and international artists, pupils will learn how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Aims

Our Art and Design curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

-Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences

-Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.

-Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.

-Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Key Stage One

Throughout Key Stage One, Pupils will produce creative work, and discuss and explore different ideas and techniques collaboratively. They also have the opportunity to study the work of famous artists from different genres. They will learn skills in drawing, painting, printing, textiles and collage. Different units will have more of a focus on certain areas than others.

In each cycle, pupils will use a wide range of media and techniques. Progressing the skills learnt in each unit. For instance, in the water colours unit, pupils being by sketching simple drawings, using different thickness of lines. They then move on to painting, based on these different ideas, using different brush sizes and types in order to ‘wash’ the page with a certain mixture of colours. This demonstrates to pupils how one form of art effectively leads into creating a different piece of art altogether.

Key Stage Two

In Key Stage Two, pupils further explore each of the different areas of art, building on skills learnt. Pupils will move from drawing and sketching for a sustained period of time and experimenting with line shape, colour and pattern. They will now use a wider range of tools, and create texture and depth in their sketches. This is done by revisiting certain skills in a different and more challenging way; with pottery, charcoal sketching and painting. Pupils are encouraged to be reflective practitioners, by writing explanations and evaluations about their designs and sketches. They may also reflect on why they have chosen a particular implement to draw with.

Across the curriculum, there are cross curricular links, deepening pupils understanding of areas of history, and equally giving an added appreciation of what they are drawing or making. In Key Stage Two, pupils study sketching with charcoal; this is linked to the Blitz in World War II. There is an added appreciation and understanding for why the medium of charcoal is being used. Furthermore, pupils have a richer understanding of the subject matter, therefore of what they should focus on sketching. This in turn enables pupils to be more self-reflective and creative in their art. Other cross curricular links are made with Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and fossils.