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Art and Design

Art and Design Curriculum Overview

Early Years

The teaching of Art at St Joseph’s begins in Reception through Expressive Arts and Design. Based on the requirements of the EYFS framework and guided by Development Matters, children start to explore colour, design, texture, form and function, share their creations, and talk about the processes they have used.

Curriculum Design

At St Joseph’s, we aim to engage, inspire and challenge our pupils by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. We have designed an engaging, progressive curriculum that encourages all our children to be passionate about and love art and guides all our children to becoming confident and creative in their art work.

Each year, the children study two units, each linked to a particular artist, style, medium or discipline within the field of art, craft and design. Sketchbooks are used continually through each year, allowing children the freedom to experiment whilst practising the skills they have been taught

Appreciating Great Art

We want all pupils to be able to clearly explain their skills and techniques, have a broad knowledge of a range of artists and sculptors to inspire them, and so develop a sense of creativity and self-expression.

As pupils progress, they will be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design and begin to appreciate how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Trips to the Walker Art Gallery, Kirkby Art Gallery, the Museum of Liverpool and Tate Liverpool are planned into the curriculum.

Mastery of Key Concepts

At St Joseph’s, our curriculum is designed to develop our children’s mastery of four key disciplines:

  • Drawing
  • Painting
  • Mixed Media (sculpture, textiles, printing)
  • Using Sketchbooks

Key concepts have been identified to ensure they are revisited, embedded and progressively developed in each year group. These concepts are:

  • line
  • shape
  • colour
  • pattern
  • texture
  • space
  • form

End Points

At the end of each unit, children apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired and developed during this unit in an independent piece of artwork.

Assessment and Monitoring

Teachers assess children at the end of each unit through end points. These assessments are used to check what children have learnt and remembered to ensure pupils have remembered what we intended them to learn.

Assessment data is submitted by the class teacher and monitored by the Subject Leader, who uses this data to ensure teaching is targeted and appropriate for each pupil, class and year group, as well as to feedback on progress to SLT.

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