Art and Design Curriculum Aims

Art and design allows children to develop their imagination and creativity. At Anker Valley Primary Academy, we deliver a rich, skills-based curriculum which encourages children to experiment with a wide range of different mediums.

Art and design is taught in 6 week blocks and follows the Access Art Scheme of Work, allowing skills to be developed and built upon before culminating in a final creative piece. This final piece may be created by an individual or collaboratively in small groups, or even a whole class.

Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, children will develop their ability to control tools and techniques. Their ideas and thought processes are collated in their own sketchbooks.

Each unit of work, allows opportunities for the children to:

• Generate Ideas (e.g. by looking at the work of artists or exploring the physical world)
• Make (Exploring and using materials)
• Evaluation (Show interest in and describe the work of others)
• Develop Knowledge & Understanding (e.g. be able to express preferences, talk about materials they have used).

We want our children to: 

• Develop the ability to control materials, tools and techniques through practice, including the use of a sketchbook
• Have the opportunity to record from first-hand experience and from imagination 
• Develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space 
• Develop their confidence and ability to produce art and design projects, including drawing, painting, printing, sculpture and sewing 
• Have opportunities to make careful observations of art and express and articulate their thinking and opinions, explaining their reasoning  
• Work on large and small scale projects independently and in teams 
• Develop creativity and imagination through a range of art and design mediums 
• Develop opportunities to use their own ideas when creating 
• Increase their awareness of art and design in different times and cultures 
• Foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and a knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers 
• Be resilient and independent, to not become discouraged when things don’t go right the first time and learn from their mistakes 

Through our Art and Design curriculum, teachers: 

• Plan to enable all learners to make connections between prior knowledge and new learning, developing their techniques and applying their understanding to art projects 
• Ensure art techniques are well-modelled because effective modelling and opportunities for children to explore the resources and practise in their sketchbooks helps them to build confidence  
• Encourage children to communicate their ideas and understanding orally and through a range of media 
• Teach children how to observe like an artist i.e. considering colour, texture, tone, perspective 

Mrs Natalie Horlor is the Curriculum Lead at Anker Valley.