Art & Design
“The beauty of creation reflects the beauty of the Creator.” — Pope Francis.
Intent
At St Mary’s, we believe that every child is an artist. Art and Design gives children the opportunity to be creative, curious and imaginative, while developing the confidence to express their ideas and see the world in new ways.
Our Art and Design curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong love of creativity. Children explore a wide range of materials, techniques and processes, developing their skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, textiles and mixed media. We encourage children to experiment, take creative risks and understand that there is often more than one way to approach an idea.
A key part of our curriculum is developing children’s understanding and appreciation of art, culture and heritage. Children encounter artists, designers and craftspeople from a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds and historical periods. They explore how art can communicate beliefs, experiences, identities and ideas, helping them to understand both their own cultural heritage and the rich diversity of the world around them.
We want children to become confident, thoughtful and independent creators. They are encouraged to develop their own ideas, make creative choices and use art as a way of communicating and responding to their experiences.
Most importantly, we want children to enjoy being creative. We want them to feel proud of their work, appreciate the work of others and recognise the beauty and inspiration in the world around them.
Implementation
Art and Design is taught progressively across the school, with learning carefully sequenced so that children revisit, practise and build upon their knowledge and skills as they move through each year group.
Children experience a broad range of artistic disciplines, including drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, sculpture and mixed media. Lessons provide opportunities to explore new techniques and materials, practise skills and apply them creatively to their own work.
Our curriculum has a strong focus on learning through experimentation. Children are encouraged to explore different possibilities, make mistakes, adapt their ideas and reflect on the outcomes. They develop their work through a creative process, from initial ideas and exploration through to developing and refining a final piece.
Sketchbooks are an important part of this process. They provide children with a personal space to record ideas, practise techniques, experiment with materials, respond to artists and evaluate their own creative journey.
Throughout their time at St Mary’s, children study a wide and varied range of artists, designers and craftspeople. These include significant figures from different cultures, communities and periods of history, ensuring children develop a broad understanding of the influence and importance of art across the world.
Art is also used to enrich learning across the curriculum, with opportunities to respond creatively to topics, stories, history, nature and the world around us. Whole-school creative projects and shared experiences provide opportunities for children to celebrate their work and see themselves as part of a wider artistic community.
Impact
Our Art and Design curriculum aims to develop children who are creative, confident and curious.
By the time children leave St Mary’s, they will have developed a broad range of practical artistic skills and a secure understanding of the techniques, materials and processes they have encountered. They will be able to use these skills creatively and make increasingly independent artistic choices.
Children will be able to:
- Experiment confidently with a range of materials, techniques and processes.
- Develop and communicate their own creative ideas.
- Use sketchbooks to explore, practise, record and refine their work.
- Talk about and evaluate their own artwork and the work of other artists.
- Recognise and discuss the influence of different cultures, artists and periods on art and design.
- Make connections between art and their own experiences and learning.
- Demonstrate increasing independence, creativity and confidence.
- Take pride in their work and celebrate the creativity of themselves and others.
We want the impact of our curriculum to be seen not only in the artwork children produce, but in their confidence to have ideas, their willingness to experiment and their ability to appreciate creativity in all its forms.
Ultimately, we want every child to leave St Mary’s with the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to continue creating, exploring and appreciating art throughout their lives.