Art

 

Art and Design is implemented through the Cornerstones curriculum, which carefully sequences knowledge of visual elements, materials, techniques, artists, art forms and movements. Learning becomes progressively more sophisticated as pupils revisit artistic concepts and apply them in new contexts.

 

Teaching follows Ascot Road’s consistent pedagogical approach of Revisit → I do → We do → You do, with checking for understanding embedded throughout. This enables teachers to explicitly teach technical skills and artistic knowledge while gradually developing pupils’ independence and creative decision-making.

 

Revisit: Teachers activate relevant prior knowledge, vocabulary and practical skills. Pupils may revisit previous understanding of colour mixing, line, texture, pattern or a particular technique before applying it within a more complex context.

 

I do: Teachers explicitly model new materials, techniques and processes. This may involve demonstrating brush control, colour mixing, observational drawing, printing, joining materials, textile techniques or sculptural processes. Teachers also model how artists observe closely, make creative choices and evaluate the effect of those choices.

 

We do: Pupils explore and practise techniques with guidance. Shared experimentation provides opportunities to investigate the properties of materials, compare outcomes and develop technical control before pupils are expected to apply their learning more independently.

 

You do: Pupils use their developing knowledge and skills to produce increasingly individual responses. They are encouraged to make purposeful choices about media, colour, composition, technique and presentation rather than reproducing an identical teacher model.

 

Practical exploration is fundamental to the curriculum. Pupils experiment with different media and techniques and are explicitly taught that artistic development often involves trying possibilities, making changes and refining ideas. The process of exploration is valued alongside the finished outcome.

 

Drawing develops progressively as both an artistic skill and a means of recording and exploring ideas. Pupils become increasingly confident in observing shape, proportion, line, tone, texture, light and shadow and use drawing within a range of different artistic contexts.

 

Painting develops from early experimentation with colour mixing and brush control towards increasingly sophisticated understanding of colour relationships, tints, shades, tones, composition and expressive use of paint. Pupils are encouraged to make informed choices rather than relying upon colour in purely decorative ways.

 

Printmaking develops through progressively more complex approaches to pattern, repetition, surface and image-making. Pupils learn that different processes and surfaces create different effects and use these intentionally within their own work.

Sculpture and three-dimensional work enable pupils to explore form, shape, texture, balance and structure. Across the curriculum, pupils encounter different materials and sculptural traditions and develop increasingly secure control when shaping, joining and constructing.

 

Textiles and mixed media allow pupils to explore texture, pattern, surface and combinations of materials. As they progress, pupils increasingly make decisions about which media are most effective for communicating a particular artistic intention.

 

Pupils study the work of artists and artistic traditions in sufficient context to understand why work was created and how culture, history, place, identity or artistic movements may have influenced it. Their own practical responses draw upon this knowledge without simply copying an artist’s finished work.

 

Cornerstones deliberately places some Art projects alongside other curriculum learning where the connection is meaningful. For example, the scheme identifies links between botanical Art and Science, as well as links with historical periods and cultures. These connections deepen understanding while preserving Art’s identity as a distinct subject.

 

Pupils develop an increasingly precise artistic vocabulary and are expected to use subject-specific language when discussing both their own work and the work of others. Terms relating to visual elements, media, techniques and artistic movements are explicitly taught and revisited.

 

Discussion and critique are approached sensitively. Pupils learn to describe what they observe, explain the effects of artistic choices and offer constructive responses. They understand that evaluating artwork involves thoughtful consideration rather than simply saying whether they like or dislike something.

In the Early Years, the foundations of Art and Design are developed primarily through Expressive Arts and Design, supported by Physical Development and Understanding the World. Children explore colour, line, shape, texture, pattern and form through drawing, painting, collage, modelling, construction and experimentation with different materials.

 

Adults model how materials and tools can be used safely and effectively while providing children with freedom to explore their own ideas. Fine motor development supports increasing control of pencils, brushes, scissors and modelling tools, while observation of the natural world, people and familiar environments provides rich stimulus for creative work.

 

Early artistic experiences value process and exploration. Children are encouraged to talk about what they have created, make choices about colours and materials and return to work to add or change details. These experiences establish the confidence, curiosity and practical foundations needed for Key Stage 1.

 

Checking for understanding takes place through questioning, observation of technique, discussion and pupils’ practical outcomes. Teachers identify where a pupil may need further modelling or practice before moving towards more independent application.

 

Assessment considers both pupils’ artistic knowledge and creative process. Teachers consider whether pupils can use taught techniques with increasing competence, recall relevant knowledge, make purposeful artistic choices and explain their intentions and responses. The visual attractiveness of a final piece alone is not used as a measure of attainment.

 

Subject leadership supports high-quality implementation through scrutiny of pupils’ work, pupil voice, observation of lessons and discussion with staff. Monitoring considers progression in technical skill, knowledge of artists and movements, use of artistic vocabulary and increasing creative independence.

 

The impact of our Art and Design curriculum is seen in pupils who become increasingly confident, knowledgeable and independent artists. They can draw upon a growing repertoire of techniques, materials and artistic knowledge when responding to different creative challenges.

Pupils develop an increasingly secure understanding of the visual elements of Art, including colour, line, shape, form, texture, pattern and tone. They can recognise these within the work of others and progressively use them with greater intention within their own work.

Pupils demonstrate increasing technical competence across drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, sculpture and mixed media. They select and control materials with greater accuracy and understand that different media and techniques create different visual effects.

Pupils develop a connected understanding of colour. They progress from recognising and mixing primary and secondary colours towards understanding more complex relationships involving tertiary, complementary, analogous, warm and cool colours and, later, tints, shades, tones and sophisticated palettes.

 

Pupils develop knowledge of a broad range of artists, artistic traditions and movements and can explain how historical, cultural or social context may influence artwork. They increasingly make connections between works studied while recognising that artistic traditions can differ significantly across cultures and time periods.

 

Pupils become increasingly independent in the creative process. They can generate ideas, experiment, make choices, evaluate effects and refine their work rather than depending upon a prescribed model. By Year 6, pupils are able to explore increasingly conceptual and individual responses.

 

Pupils demonstrate Honesty when reflecting upon their creative work and are able to identify successes and possible improvements without viewing evaluation as criticism. They understand that changes and revisions are a normal part of artistic development.

 

Responsibility is demonstrated through safe and appropriate use of equipment, thoughtful use of materials and care for shared creative spaces. Projects involving environmental themes also support pupils in considering the relationship between artistic practice and the wider world.

 

Respect and Kindness are evident in the way pupils discuss the work of artists and peers. They recognise that artistic responses are personal and that somebody else’s creative decision does not need to match their own preferences in order to have value.

Art strengthens pupils’ sense of belonging by providing opportunities to communicate ideas, identities and experiences that may not always be expressed most effectively through written language. Pupils recognise that their creative voice matters and that varied perspectives enrich the artistic life of the school.

 

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have developed secure foundations in artistic technique, visual literacy, knowledge of artists and cultural traditions and independent creative thinking. They are well prepared for secondary Art and have developed an appreciation of Art as both a form of personal expression and an important part of human culture.

 

Curriculum impact is evaluated through pupils’ artwork and creative processes, sketchbook work where used, pupil voice, teacher assessment and pupils’ ability to discuss and apply previous learning. Subject monitoring considers whether pupils know more, remember more, create with greater technical competence and make increasingly purposeful artistic choices over time.

 

 

At Ascot Road Primary School, Art and Design is inclusive by design. We believe that every child has the capacity to think and communicate creatively and that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities should have full access to an ambitious Art curriculum.

 

The practical and visual nature of Art provides multiple ways for pupils to participate and demonstrate understanding. Pupils can communicate ideas through images, colour, texture, form, movement and practical making, providing valuable alternatives to extended written expression.

 

Teachers anticipate potential physical, sensory, communication, cognitive and processing barriers and make appropriate adaptations while maintaining the intended artistic learning.

 

The Revisit → I do → We do → You do structure provides pupils with clear models and supported practice before they work independently. Techniques may be demonstrated repeatedly or broken into manageable stages where required.

Visual prompts, completed examples, step-by-step photographs and demonstrations may support pupils in understanding a process. These are used to clarify technique rather than prescribe an identical final outcome.

 

Tools and materials can be adapted according to need. This may include different brush sizes, pencil grips, adapted scissors, larger surfaces, alternative modelling materials or adjusted positioning so that physical difficulties do not unnecessarily restrict artistic participation.

 

Pupils with sensory differences may require thoughtful consideration of materials, textures, smells, noise or levels of mess. Where appropriate, alternative media or gradual exposure may be provided while maintaining the same artistic intention.

Vocabulary is taught explicitly and may be supported through visual examples. Concepts such as tone, texture, shade, pattern, contrast, composition and abstract are connected to concrete artwork so that pupils develop secure understanding.

 

Recording demands are adapted where necessary. A pupil’s ability to write extensively about an artist should not become a barrier to demonstrating artistic knowledge. Oral discussion, annotated images, selected vocabulary or other appropriate methods may be used.

 

Adults support access while preserving pupils’ creative ownership. They may assist with physical organisation or prompt the use of a technique but should avoid making artistic decisions or completing a significant part of an outcome on behalf of the pupil.

Pupils who demonstrate secure artistic knowledge and technique are challenged through greater independence, refinement and conceptual complexity, rather than simply being expected to produce more work. They may experiment with combinations of media, justify choices or develop more individual interpretations.

 

Our value of Fairness is reflected in recognising that successful participation may require different tools, scaffolds or methods. All pupils remain entitled to the same rich artistic ideas and to have their creative contributions valued.

Art can be particularly powerful in strengthening belonging for pupils who may communicate or experience the world differently. It provides opportunities for individuality to be visible, valued and celebrated within the shared creative life of Ascot Road.

 

 

Art and Design provides rich opportunities for pupils to understand the diversity of human creativity. Through the Cornerstones curriculum, pupils encounter artwork from different cultures, communities, historical periods and artistic movements and learn that there are many different ways to represent ideas, beliefs, identities and experiences visually.

 

The curriculum broadens progressively beyond pupils’ immediate experience. In Key Stage 1, children begin with familiar themes such as themselves, nature and their local community before being introduced to a wider range of artists and approaches. In Key Stage 2, pupils encounter increasingly diverse historical and cultural traditions.

 

In Year 3, projects including Prehistoric Pots and Mosaic Masters allow pupils to explore artistic practices associated with different historical periods, while Year 4 includes Islamic Art, enabling pupils to investigate the relationship between art, pattern, culture and religious significance. The Cornerstones overview explicitly identifies the study of diverse historical and cultural artistic forms as part of this progression.

 

In Year 5, pupils encounter Taotie, developing knowledge of an ancient Chinese art form, as well as Expression, which introduces the significance of the Expressionist movement.

 

Diversity is particularly explicit in Year 6 through projects including Trailblazers, Barrier Breakers and Inuit. Pupils also explore more conceptual approaches through Environmental Artists and Distortion and Abstraction, considering how artists can communicate personal, environmental and social messages.

 

Teachers place artworks within appropriate cultural contexts and avoid presenting an individual artist or artwork as representative of an entire culture. Pupils are encouraged to recognise diversity within artistic traditions as well as differences between them.

 

Pupils develop Respect by engaging thoughtfully with artistic traditions that may initially be unfamiliar. They learn that different cultures may have different conventions, purposes and meanings within their art and that these should be understood within context rather than judged solely according to personal taste.

Kindness is developed through constructive response and critique. Pupils learn to discuss the work of others sensitively and recognise that creative work can be closely connected to personal experience and identity.

 

Fairness is promoted by challenging assumptions about whose artwork is considered important. Pupils encounter artists and traditions beyond a narrow canon and learn that significant creative contributions have been made by people from many cultures, communities and backgrounds.

 

Art also enables pupils to challenge stereotypes around who can be an artist. Pupils encounter diversity within the artistic world and are encouraged to recognise that creativity is not determined by gender, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic background or any particular way of experiencing the world.

 

Honesty is developed through authentic personal response. Pupils are encouraged to explain what they think and feel about artworks while distinguishing between personal preference and informed evaluation. They learn that they can dislike a particular style while still recognising its technical, cultural or historical significance.

 

Responsibility becomes increasingly significant when pupils explore environmental and social themes. Through work such as Environmental Artists, pupils consider how artists can draw attention to issues and communicate ideas that may influence how people think about the world around them.

 

Where appropriate, the cultural and artistic knowledge already present within the Ascot Road community can enrich classroom learning. Pupils’ experiences of family crafts, textiles, patterns, architecture, celebrations and visual traditions can be valued as part of a wider understanding of Art.

 

Ultimately, Art reinforces our central principle of belonging. Pupils learn that art can simultaneously express individual identity and connect people across cultures, places and periods of history. Through Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Responsibility and Fairness, we aim for pupils to recognise that every person has the right to create, interpret and contribute to the visual culture of their community and wider world.