SandonArt and Design
“Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.” (National Curriculum 2014)
Intent
At Sandon JMI we aim to engage, inspire, and challenge pupils as they develop confidence to experiment and invent their own works of art. Our curriculum is designed to give pupils every opportunity to develop their ability, nurture their talent and interests, express their ideas and thoughts about the world, as well as learn about art and artists across cultures and through history.
We want children to develop as unique, imaginative, and expressive artists who discuss artworks confidently, respectfully, and reflectively. Through studying art, we want pupils to notice and appreciate the world around us and think critically about what is presented to them – a key life skill in a world in which we are constantly fed information.
Implementation
Our art and design scheme fully covers the National Society for Education in Art and Design’s progression competencies and supports children to meet the National Curriculum end of key stage attainment targets. The units we teach are organised into four core areas;
- Drawing
- Painting and mixed-media
- Sculpture and 3D
- Craft and design
Within these core areas, the following strands run throughout, supporting children to become competent artists;
- Generating ideas
- Using sketchbooks
- Making skills, including formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern colour)
- Knowledge of artists
- Evaluating and analysing
Learning is sequential, allowing children to build their skills and knowledge, applying them to a range of outcomes. Key skills are revisited repeatedly with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model, building on pupils’ previous learning. Units support pupils in learning how to make their own creative choices so that art outcomes are unique to the pupil and personal.
Skills progressions from EYFS to year 6 clearly show age related expectations across the core areas of art and design, supporting teachers in implementing the lessons and identifying next steps for pupils, particularly in mixed-age classes.
At Sandon, weekly lessons are taught in half-termly rotation with design and technology units to support children in engaging with a rich and varied curriculum. In EYFS children explore a range of media and techniques freely and experimentally during child-initiated learning, as well as engage in adult-led activities with a focus on developing particular skills. We also have a weekly after school art club, where children can explore using a range of materials, techniques, and artistic styles.
Impact
Through this curriculum, children have the opportunity to express themselves as they explore a range of artistic styles and techniques. In art, children are expected to be reflective as they evaluate and discuss a range of artworks, including their own, and have a role in making artistic choices and thinking about what they could change. They develop their resilience as artists, gain confidence in talking about their creative journey, and have a growing understanding of how to improve. Our art curriculum equips children with essential life skills and a strong foundation for their art and design learning at Key Stage 3 and beyond.
Following the implementation of this curriculum it is expected that children will:
- Produce creative work, exploring and recording their ideas and experiences.
- Be proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
- Evaluate and analyse creative works using subject-specific language.
- Know about great artists and the historical and cultural development of their art.
- Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Art and design.
Records of children’s work are kept in sketchbooks in KS1 and KS2. In EYFS artwork is informally observed, with some key pieces being stored in folders or recorded in a learning journal, at the teacher’s discretion. Progress is monitored against the progression of skills documents. Formative assessment is used to guide the progress of individual pupils, and usually takes place during lessons through sensitive questions and observations during practical activities. Each lesson following Kapow Primary’s planning includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. There are summative assessment opportunities at the end of each unit to assess children’s knowledge of artists and skills.
Art and Design Knowledge and Skills Progression
Art and Design Key Vocabulary 2024-2025
