Art and Design

At our school, we believe that every child is an artist. We want pupils to enjoy being creative, develop confidence in their own ideas and understand that there is not always one ‘right’ way to make art.

We use AccessArt to support a rich and progressive Art and Design curriculum. Our approach places value not only on the finished piece of artwork, but also on the creative process – exploring, experimenting, making mistakes, reflecting, adapting and trying again.

Intent

Our Art and Design curriculum aims to give every child the opportunity to explore, create and express themselves.

We want pupils to develop the knowledge and skills they need to work confidently with a range of materials, techniques and processes. As pupils move through the school, they build on previous experiences and become increasingly confident in making their own creative choices.

Through Art and Design, we want pupils to:

• develop curiosity, creativity and imagination;
• explore a wide range of materials, tools and techniques;
• develop skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and other forms of art;
• experiment and take creative risks;
• develop and communicate their own ideas;
• talk about their artwork and the choices they have made;
• learn from artists, craftspeople and designers from different times, places and cultures;
• reflect on their work and consider how it might develop;
• appreciate that art can be different for everyone;
• develop confidence and enjoyment in being creative.

We want children to understand that being successful in art does not mean that everyone's work should look the same. Individuality, exploration and personal response are valued.

Implementation

We use AccessArt to support the teaching of Art and Design across the school.

Our curriculum gives pupils opportunities to explore different areas of art and design and to work with a wide range of materials and processes.

Pupils are encouraged to explore before creating. Teachers provide opportunities for children to investigate materials, practise techniques, collect ideas and make choices before developing their own artwork.

Sketchbooks are an important part of this process. They provide a space for pupils to explore ideas, practise, experiment, record observations and reflect on their learning.

Teachers introduce pupils to a diverse range of artists, craftspeople, designers and creative practices. Children look closely at their work, discuss what they notice and use this as inspiration for their own thinking rather than simply copying a finished piece.

As pupils move through the school, they revisit skills, materials and processes in increasingly challenging ways. This allows them to build on what they already know and develop greater confidence and independence.

Teachers model techniques and introduce appropriate artistic vocabulary while allowing pupils the freedom to make their own creative decisions.

Growth Mindset and the Creative Process

Growth mindset is woven through our approach to Art and Design.

We want pupils to understand that becoming an artist is a process. Artists experiment, change their minds, encounter difficulties, make unexpected discoveries and develop their ideas over time.

In art, something that does not work as expected is not necessarily a failure. It can become an opportunity to think differently, make a new choice or take the artwork in another direction.

We encourage pupils to:

• have a go at something new;
• experiment without worrying about getting everything ‘right’;
• take creative risks;
• learn from mistakes and unexpected outcomes;
• try different approaches when something does not work;
• listen to feedback while developing their own ideas;
• reflect on what they have created;
• recognise how practice helps skills develop;
• value the process of making as well as the finished artwork.

Teachers model this language during lessons. Rather than focusing on whether a piece of artwork is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, pupils are encouraged to talk about choices, ideas, techniques, discoveries and what they might try next.

We want children to be able to say:

“It didn’t work how I expected – what could I try next?”

This helps pupils develop resilience and confidence, while also recognising that artists do not all work or think in the same way.

Supporting All Pupils

Our Art and Design curriculum is designed to enable all pupils to participate and experience success.

Teachers provide appropriate support and adapt materials, tools or approaches where needed. Pupils may be given additional modelling, different ways of accessing materials or opportunities to practise a technique before using it independently.

We recognise that pupils bring different experiences, interests and strengths to art. These differences are valued.

There is not an expectation that every child will produce the same outcome. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own creative response while building the knowledge and skills set out in our curriculum.

Impact

The impact of our Art and Design curriculum can be seen in pupils' knowledge, skills, creativity and confidence.

As pupils progress through the school, we want them to become increasingly able to:

• use a growing range of materials, tools and techniques;
• make thoughtful creative choices;
• draw upon previous knowledge and experiences;
• use appropriate artistic vocabulary;
• talk about artists and creative practices they have encountered;
• explore and develop their own ideas;
• use sketchbooks as part of the creative process;
• experiment and take appropriate creative risks;
• reflect on their work and make changes;
• respond positively when something does not go to plan;
• talk confidently about their artwork and creative choices.

Teachers consider pupils' development through their sketchbooks, finished and unfinished work, classroom discussions and observation of the creative process.

We want pupils to leave our school understanding that art is about much more than producing a finished picture. It is about looking, thinking, wondering, experimenting, making, reflecting and sometimes starting again.

Most importantly, we want our pupils to see themselves as creative individuals who have the confidence to explore their own ideas and understand that their skills and creativity can continue to grow.