Art and Design Overview

The art and design projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s skills and knowledge of visual elements, art forms, artists and art movements. 

Projects are placed alongside other subject projects where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections. For example, in year 3, Beautiful Botanicals has been placed in the same teaching sequence as the science project Plant Nutrition and Reproduction. 

Seasons are also a consideration for the placement of art and design projects. For example, if children are required to work outdoors, these projects have been placed in either the latter part of the spring or summer term.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Lower Key Stage 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Colour Theory in Year 3 and Warm and Cool Colours in Year 4). Teaching these projects enables children to build on their previous understanding of colour and further develop their expertise by studying tertiary, analogous and complementary colours with many opportunities for the children to explore warm and cool colours.

In Year 3, children expand their experiences to study a broader range of art forms, artists and genres. They also begin to study art from specific and diverse periods of history, including prehistoric pottery and Roman mosaics. Other genres studied in Year 3 include more complex techniques in printmaking, drawing, painting and textiles.

In Year 4, children develop more specialised techniques in drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. They explore ways in which ancient cultures have influenced art and crafts by studying, for example, medieval weaving techniques and the religious significance of Islamic art.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Upper Key Stage 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Colour in Landscapes in Year 5 and Colour and Style in Year 6). Teaching these projects enables children to build on their previous understanding of colour theory and develop further expertise with colour by studying tints, shades and tones and more complex colour palettes.

In Year 5, children develop and combine more complex artistic techniques in a range of genres, including drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Children continue to build on their understanding of other historical periods and cultures by studying the ancient Chinese art form of taotie and the significance of the Expressionist movement.

In Year 6, children are encouraged to work more independently in projects like Environmental Artists and Distortion and Abstraction. Such projects require them to consider more conceptual representations of personal, environmental, social or political messaging. Children explore diversity in art by studying the projects Inuit and Trailblazers, Barrier Breakers.

Throughout the art and design scheme, there is complete coverage of all national curriculum programmes of study. The curriculum design interrogates the sequencing of curriculum aspects and concepts, vocabulary and connectivity of the art and design scheme with other curriculum subjects

Intent, Implementation and Impact 

Intent

At Wenlock C of E Academy we recognise the importance of Art and Design education and its role in engaging, inspiring and challenging pupils. We see Art and Design as a vehicle that provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of 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.

 Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Wenlock C of E Academy School is based on the National Curriculum and is planned using Curriculum Maestro. The children are taught Art as part of their termly topic work. The Art and Design projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s skills and knowledge of visual elements, learn and recap colour theory, art forms, artists and art movements. Each project allows children to investigate art; be taught basic skills; practise those skills; then gives time for children to plan, create and evaluate 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. Pupils are taught:

1. To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas

2. 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]

3. About great artists, architects and designers in history.

Impact

By the time children leave Wenlock C of E Academy, we want them to have developed a passion and love for art and creativity as well as an enjoyment for Art and Design. We want them to feel confident to be creative. We want to see them working both independently and collaboratively. They will have experienced a wide range of works of art, using technical vocabulary to talk about these. They will have grown in confidence when using a range of tools and techniques, becoming artists that can apply the skills and knowledge that they have developed throughout the years and respond critically to their own and other’s work.

Ongoing formative assessments take place throughout the year. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. At the end of the academic year, pupils are given an effort score as well as an assessment level