What we teach
We believe in the strength of Art and Design and are committed to offering all our children a high-quality Art and Design education which inspires children to develop creativity and self-expression. Our curriculum has been designed to build on our children’s cultural capital to equip them with knowledge and experiences to prepare them for their future success. Our curriculum is designed to equip pupils with a range of artistic skills and contextual knowledge which will enable them to create their own original works of art inspired by successful artists and well-known works of art as well as emerging local artists. Art skills and art elements sit at the heart of our curriculum, where core component knowledge in the mediums of drawing, painting, printing, collage and sculpture are sequentially built upon a progression of skills within our art curriculum. When they leave us, our children will have an appreciation of art and will have formed a strong foundation of Art and Design skills through mastery of a range of tools and skills which will be built on as they continue their journey as young artists.
How we teach it
The teaching of Art and Design begins in the Early Years where children develop a good foundation of artistic skills through a mixture of child initiated and adult directed activities linked to our art elements. Children are given opportunities to explore and experiment through a hands-on approach. Children safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, printing, drawing, sculpture and collage. Children’s learning is contextualised through the exposure of artists and their skills. Children begin to use artistic language to express and share their creations and explain the process they have used.
In KS1, children build on their learning from EYFS, refining their art skills in a more structured approach. Children develop a wide range of art and design techniques, introducing and exploring the art elements. Children learn about colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space and they use a range of materials creatively to design or make works of art. Children dive deeper into contextual knowledge through artist studies and are given opportunities to think like an artist to create their own, unique artist inspired creations. Children learn about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines. Children are encouraged to think like an artist by applying their contextual knowledge to their own work through making links and comparisons.
Art and design activities are planned for within our continuous provision which allows children to transfer skills taught in lessons and then they are able to replicate it in their own unique way, offering a more open ended approach to learning which challenges and empowers children to demonstrate their learning in an imaginative and creative way. It also builds on previously taught knowledge, both day to day and across year groups.
Art and Design is inclusive. Lessons are adapted to meet the needs of all learners, including those with SEND, using inclusive strategies and differentiated outcomes. All children are given the opportunity to travel the same creative journey regardless of their ability to access lessons. SEND pupils often benefit from an explicit focus and pre-teaching of art vocabulary. For children with fine motor difficulties, chunky tools such as pencil and paintbrushes are provided to support grip and control. Teachers also use high-quality questioning, oracy and sentence stems to support learning.
What pupils have learnt
Our children love Art and Design; they are confident to talk about all aspects of our Art and Design curriculum using the correct artistic language, they have learned to appreciate many different types of art and artists. The impact of our curriculum is that by the end of each year group, the vast majority of children will have sustained mastery of the content. The art skills they have learnt creates a strong, secure foundation of art disciplinaries. The children are well aware of opportunities available to them now and in later life. We expose our children to Artistic professions to aspire to and we regularly visit local galleries and exhibitions to provide them with artistic experiences.
Our explicit teaching and continual assessment for learning and Art and Design progression ensures that teachers are clear about the progress and attainment of each child. Children also assess their learning continuously throughout the lesson and when learning in continuous provision.
Reception - In Class Learning - 2025-2026
This term, the children have been exploring the bold and colourful world of Pop Art, inspired by the work of artist Roy Lichtenstein. They looked closely at his famous Ben-Day dots and discussed how simple dots and bright colours can create striking images. The children then experimented with their own print-making techniques, using cotton buds and bubble wrap to create dotted patterns and textures. To link with Valentine’s Day, they used heart shapes and romantic colours, discovering how Pop Art’s playful style works perfectly with themes of love and celebration. The children thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with different tools and materials and seeing their designs come to life.
This term, the children have been exploring the vibrant world of Indian art to celebrate Diwali. They looked closely at traditional Rangoli patterns and practised their cutting skills to create their own beautiful designs. The classes also experimented with coloured rice, working together to make a wonderful collaborative Rangoli artwork. The children loved the hands-on experience—feeling the texture of the rice, exploring the colours, and discovering the magical patterns they could create.
We then moved on to studying the work of Vincent Van Gogh. The children looked at his famous painting Starry Night and talked about how the swirling brushstrokes represent movement. Inspired by this, they used small dashed brushstrokes with paint to create their own artwork that captures a sense of motion. They were fascinated by how a simple mark can bring a picture to life!
In Reception, we began exploring lines and mark making, starting with the idea of “taking a line for a walk” using both our pencils and our bodies to discover how lines can move, change, and flow. The children then looked at the work of Wassily Kandinsky, focusing on how he used colour, shape, and feeling in his art. Inspired by his famous concentric circles, they created their own colourful pieces, experimenting with how colours can work together to express mood. This also linked beautifully to International Dot Day, celebrating creativity, individuality, and making a mark in our own unique way.
Yayoi Kusama
In Reception, we celebrated Halloween by drawing and decorating pumpkins, looking closely at their shapes, lines, and patterns. We were inspired by the artist Yayoi Kusama, who is famous for using dots in her work. The children explored how repeating dots can create bold, eye-catching designs, and they experimented with their own patterns to transform their pumpkins into colourful, dotty artworks. This also linked back to our learning around International Dot Day, reminding us how something as simple as a dot can become the start of a creative masterpiece.
Year 1 - In Class Learning - 2025-2026
This half term, the children explored vibrant Mexican art, focusing on the tradition of sugar skulls and linking this to our Halloween celebrations. They developed their fine motor skills by practising careful cutting, taking inspiration from Henri Matisse and his paper cut-out techniques. Using these skills, the children created their own colourful paper sugar skulls, decorating them with imaginative shapes and patterns. They thoroughly enjoyed the process and loved expressing their own creativity through their unique designs.
The children then moved on to studying the work of Vincent Van Gogh, revisiting what they first learned in Reception. This time, they worked on mastering the technique of using small dashes marks—now with oil pastels—to show movement and feeling in their artwork. They also thought about how Starry Night connects to the winter season, making links to Christmas and the dark, starry evenings at this time of year. The children enjoyed expressing their own emotions through colour and mark-making, creating expressive, seasonal pieces inspired by Van Gogh’s famous painting.
Last week the Year 2 children visited the Attenborough Arts Centre to experience Inner Jungle, an immersive exhibition by Colombian artist Angelica Teuta. Using overhead projectors and layered plastic sheets, Teuta recreated the atmosphere of a rainforest through shifting light, colour, and shadow. The children loved exploring the installation, fascinated by how the layers transformed into moving jungle scenes. Inspired by the technique, they went on to create their own layered artworks, experimenting with light and shadows to bring their own “inner jungles” to life.
In Year 1, we began exploring the colour wheel, learning how to mix colours and notice how they work together. The children then discovered the work of Henri Matisse, focusing on his use of bold colours, shapes, and feelings in his famous paper cut-outs, especially Sadness of the King. We also practised important skills with scissors, carefully cutting out shapes to build confidence and control. Finally, the children created their very own vibrant versions of Sadness of the King, experimenting with composition and colour to express their ideas in a playful, creative way.
Year 1 Art: Celebrating Indian Patterns
Year 1 have been diving into the colourful world of Indian art. The children have explored how patterns, colour, and symmetry play an important role in traditional designs, and have enjoyed creating their own beautiful artwork inspired by these ideas. We also learned about the Paisely motif, blending traditional Indian styles with modern themes. Through this project, the children have been developing their fine motor skills, practising careful pattern work, and expressing their creativity in exciting new ways.
Year 2 - In Class Learning - 2025-2026
This term, the children explored Mexican art with a focus on the tradition of sugar skulls. They learned about the work of Frida Kahlo and discussed how her Mexican heritage and artistic style link to the vibrant patterns and symbolism found in sugar skull designs. Inspired by this, the children created their own sugar skull artwork using foil and colourful pens.
They loved experimenting with the shiny surface and seeing how the colours stood out on the foil. The unique materials made the activity exciting and helped them express their ideas in a bold, creative way.
The children then revisited Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night, building on their learning from previous years. They experimented with paint, keeping tight control of their brushwork to create the small, expressive dashes that show movement in the sky. Using these techniques, they designed a warm winter scene with a striking silhouette overlooking a cityscape. The children were captivated by how their dashes of paint brought the night sky to life, and they thoroughly enjoyed creating their atmospheric winter artwork.
In Year 2, we explored the colour wheel in more depth, learning about tertiary colours and how different colours can make us feel. The children experimented with using warm and cool colours, inspired by Picasso’s Rose and Blue Periods, to create their own expressive mood paintings. We then moved on to look at the contemporary artist Tim Fowler, who uses vibrant colours in his depictions of nature. Linking to the season of autumn, the children were introduced to leaf drawing, combining observational skills with bold colour choices to produce striking artworks that celebrate both colour and nature.
Indian Art:
This term, Year 2 have been exploring portraits and how artists use them to express identity and culture. Inspired by the vibrant work of The Singh Twins, the children looked at how traditional Indian patterns and designs can be woven into modern artwork. They created striking portraits with colourful patterned backgrounds, combining contemporary portrait styles with intricate Indian-inspired motifs. Through this project, the children have developed their creativity, attention to detail, and understanding of how art can reflect both personal and cultural stories.
