Art & Design

INTENT:

The intention of our Art and Design curriculum is to inspire pupils to become creative, confident and reflective learners who develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary to express ideas, communicate meaning and engage critically with the visual world. Through high-quality Art and Design education, pupils develop creativity alongside an appreciation of the rich artistic heritage of Britain and the wider world, recognising the contribution of artists, craftspeople and designers across different cultures, faiths and historical periods.

Rooted in our mission statement, ‘Love like Jesus, Learn like Jesus, Live like Jesus,’ our curriculum promotes respect, inclusion and aspiration by recognising their talents, value the uniqueness of others and develop confidence in expressing themselves creatively. Through collaborative learning, reflection and evaluation, pupils develop perseverance, resilience and pride in their achievements whilst contributing positively to the school community.

Our curriculum is fully aligned with the National Curriculum for Art and Design. In Key Stage 1, pupils use a range of materials creatively, develop techniques in drawing, painting, sculpture and other media, and begin to evaluate and describe creative work whilst learning about significant artists, craft makers and designers. In Key Stage 2, pupils refine and control artistic techniques, use sketchbooks purposefully to develop, refine and review ideas, analyse and evaluate creative outcomes using subject-specific vocabulary, and understand the historical and cultural significance of a diverse range of artists and artistic movements. Knowledge and skills are carefully sequenced to ensure pupils build secure understanding and apply their learning with increasing independence.

We recognise that pupils join us with a range of prior experiences and starting points. Our curriculum has been designed to ensure equitable access to ambitious learning through explicit vocabulary instruction, adaptive teaching, practical first-hand experiences and meaningful enrichment. This enables all pupils to develop confidence, creativity and cultural capital whilst making strong progress throughout the curriculum.

IMPLEMENTATION

Teachers deliver a coherently planned and progressively sequenced curriculum with high expectations for all pupils. Learning develops both substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills through opportunities to explore, experiment, refine and evaluate artistic outcomes. Pupils are taught to make informed creative decisions, reflect critically on their own work and draw inspiration from a broad range of artists, cultures and historical contexts.

Subject-specific vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited to strengthen pupils’ communication skills and enable them to discuss, analyse and evaluate artwork with increasing confidence and precision. Teachers use effective modelling, questioning and ongoing formative assessment to identify misconceptions and adapt learning, ensuring that every pupil is appropriately supported and challenged to achieve success.

Learning is enriched through educational visits, visiting artists, workshops and purposeful cross-curricular links with History, Geography, Religious Education and English. These experiences broaden pupils’ understanding of the wider world, strengthen cultural capital and provide meaningful contexts in which pupils apply and deepen their artistic knowledge and skills.

IMPACT

The impact of our Art and Design curriculum is that pupils leave St Stephen’s as knowledgeable, creative and reflective learners who demonstrate secure artistic knowledge, technical proficiency and the confidence to communicate ideas effectively through a range of artistic media. They evaluate artwork thoughtfully using accurate subject-specific vocabulary and understand the significance of art within different cultures, communities and historical periods.

The curriculum ensures that all pupils, regardless of their starting point, develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in Art and Design. Through rich learning experiences, explicit teaching and consistently high expectations, pupils demonstrate increasing independence, resilience and creativity alongside a lasting appreciation of the contribution of art to society. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education and equipped with the cultural understanding and creative confidence to flourish as lifelong learners.