Intent

At The Grange Academy, our art and design curriculum is designed to inspire creativity, build confidence, and enable pupils to experiment and express themselves through their own works of art. We believe that art is a vital part of a well-rounded education, offering opportunities for pupils to develop their talent, explore their interests, and communicate their ideas about the world.

Our curriculum is delivered using the Kapow Primary Art and Design Scheme of Work, written by experts and fully aligned with the National Curriculum and the National Society for Education in Art and Design’s progression competencies. This ensures that all pupils develop the skills, knowledge, and understanding to meet the end-of-key-stage attainment targets.

In addition to the technical skills of drawing, painting, sculpture, and design, our curriculum aims to:

• Encourage creative exploration: Pupils are given the confidence and freedom to experiment with materials, techniques, and styles, discovering their own unique artistic voice.
• Foster cultural awareness: Through the study of diverse artists, movements, and cultural traditions, pupils learn to appreciate the richness of art across time and around the world.
• Develop critical thinking and reflection: Pupils are encouraged to discuss, evaluate, and refine their own work and that of others, building resilience and the ability to see feedback as an opportunity for growth.

In the context of our school, we aim to:

• Provide inspiring opportunities to create, including cross-curricular links and real-world contexts, such as collaborative projects, displays, and community events.
• Raise the profile of art within the school through art-focused days, exhibitions, and showcases, where pupils can celebrate their achievements and share their work with the school community.
• Ensure all pupils, including those with SEND, have the tools and support they need to engage fully with the art curriculum, developing their confidence and self-expression.

At The Grange Academy, we believe art is not just about creating—it is about inspiring pupils to see the world from new perspectives, develop empathy, and celebrate the diversity of human experience. By the time pupils leave us, they will have the skills, creativity, and appreciation to explore art further in their lives, aligning with our Learning for Life vision.

Implementation

At The Grange Academy, art is taught through the Kapow Primary Art and Design Scheme of Work, which ensures a robust, engaging, and progressive curriculum. Art is timetabled one unit per term, with lessons sequenced to develop pupils’ creativity, skills, and knowledge across five key strands:

• Generating ideas
• Using sketchbooks
• Making skills, including formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour)
• Knowledge of artists
• Evaluating and analysing

Curriculum Structure

• Lessons are organised into four core areas:
  1. Drawing
  2. Painting and mixed media
  3. Sculpture and 3D
  4. Craft and design
• The curriculum follows a spiral model, revisiting and building on key skills and knowledge each year with increasing complexity. This approach ensures pupils make consistent progress and retain prior learning.
• Cross-curricular links are embedded, allowing art to enhance learning in other subjects, such as history, geography, and English, while maintaining its distinctiveness as a creative subject.

Teaching and Learning Approaches

1. Exploration and Creativity:
   • Lessons are practical and hands-on, encouraging experimental learning where pupils explore and test a range of materials, tools, and techniques.
   • Pupils use sketchbooks to document ideas, experiment with techniques, and refine their work over time.
   • Creativity and independent decision-making are embedded into units, enabling pupils to produce personal and unique outcomes.
2. Knowledge-Rich Lessons:
   • Lessons include knowledge organisers that highlight key vocabulary, skills, and processes, supporting knowledge recall and independence.
   • Pupils learn about a diverse range of artists, movements, and cultures, fostering cultural appreciation and understanding.
3. Inclusivity and Challenge:
   • Lessons are differentiated to ensure accessibility for all pupils, including those with SEND.
   • Extension opportunities provide challenge for high-attaining pupils, enabling them to explore advanced techniques and ideas.

Resources and Teacher Support

• Specialist resources: The school provides a variety of tools and materials, such as high-quality paints, drawing equipment, and sculpting tools, to support diverse artistic techniques.
• Kapow teacher support: The scheme includes:
  • Teacher videos for professional development and subject knowledge enhancement.
  • Pupil videos to model techniques, ensuring that art is delivered to a high standard even by non-specialist staff.
  • Detailed lesson plans and scaffolding to support confident teaching of the art curriculum.

Raising the Profile of Art

At The Grange Academy, we actively celebrate art across the school community by:

• Hosting art exhibitions to showcase pupils’ work, inviting parents and the local community to view and celebrate their achievements.
• Organising art-themed days and whole-school projects, such as mural painting or collaborative installations.
• Featuring pupils’ artwork in prominent displays around the school to celebrate creativity and inspire others.
• Promoting opportunities for pupils to engage with local artists, galleries, and competitions to connect art to real-world experiences.

Enrichment and Extra-Curricular Opportunities

• Pupils have access to art club, led by Mrs Curd, where they can further explore their creativity and experiment with new techniques.
• Collaboration with the Eco-Warrior group encourages sustainable art practices, such as using recycled materials in projects.
• Special events, such as visits from local artists or workshops, provide enrichment and inspire pupils to see the value of art in everyday life.

Why We Teach Art This Way

Our approach ensures that all pupils:

• Develop confidence and creativity in expressing their ideas through art.
• Build a strong foundation of artistic skills and knowledge, enabling them to produce high-quality, unique outcomes.
• Appreciate the diversity of art across cultures and time, fostering cultural awareness and empathy.
• Gain transferable skills such as critical thinking, resilience, and collaboration, preparing them for lifelong learning and creativity.

By the time pupils leave The Grange Academy, they will have experienced a rich and varied art education, empowering them to approach the next stage of their creative journey with confidence and curiosity.

Impact

The impact of our art and design curriculum at The Grange Academy is evident in the creative, confident, and reflective learners we develop. Pupils leave us with the artistic skills, knowledge, and appreciation needed to continue exploring and expressing themselves through art in Key Stage 3 and beyond.

Expected Outcomes for Pupils

Through our carefully sequenced curriculum and engaging teaching approaches, pupils will:

• Develop creativity and self-expression: Pupils confidently explore and experiment with a range of materials, techniques, and tools, producing unique and personal outcomes.
• Master artistic skills: Pupils demonstrate progression in key skills such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and design, as well as their understanding of the formal elements of art (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, and colour).
• Appreciate cultural diversity: Pupils gain a broad understanding of art from different cultures, movements, and historical periods, fostering cultural awareness and empathy.
• Think critically and reflectively: Pupils evaluate and refine their work and that of others, using key vocabulary to articulate their ideas and responses effectively.
• Build confidence and resilience: Through experimentation and feedback, pupils learn to see challenges as opportunities for growth, developing perseverance and adaptability.

Assessment of Impact

The impact of our art curriculum is assessed through a blend of formative and summative approaches:

• Formative Assessment: Pupils’ progress is monitored in lessons through observations, discussions, and their use of sketchbooks, which document their creative journey.
• Summative Assessment: Teachers assess pupils’ mastery of skills and knowledge at the end of each unit, using final outcomes, knowledge organisers, and self-evaluations as evidence.
• Tracking Progress: Teachers input termly assessments into Arbor, enabling leaders to monitor progression across year groups and identify areas for support or challenge.
• Pupil Voice: Regular discussions with pupils provide insight into their enjoyment, confidence, and understanding of art.

Evidence of Impact

The success of our art curriculum is demonstrated through:

• High-Quality Outcomes: Pupils’ artwork shows progression in skills and creativity, with personal, meaningful responses to tasks.
• Engaged and Enthusiastic Learners: Pupils demonstrate a positive attitude toward art, actively participating in lessons, enrichment activities, and exhibitions.
• Cultural Appreciation: Pupils can discuss and appreciate the work of a diverse range of artists, styles, and movements, making connections to their own work.
• Confident Communicators: Pupils use subject-specific vocabulary to describe their techniques, processes, and evaluations.

Wider Impact

Beyond the classroom, our art curriculum contributes to the personal and social development of pupils:

• Building Life Skills: Pupils develop problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills that are transferable across the curriculum and in life.
• Enhancing Wellbeing: The creative nature of art supports pupils’ emotional health, offering them an outlet for self-expression and stress relief.
• Strengthening Community Engagement: Through exhibitions, displays, and collaborative projects, pupils take pride in sharing their work with peers, parents, and the wider community.

Preparing for the Future

By the end of Year 6, pupils at The Grange Academy will:

• Have the skills and confidence to explore art further in Key Stage 3 and beyond.
• Appreciate the value of creativity and cultural heritage in shaping their understanding of the world.
• Carry forward a love of art as a medium for expression, communication, and exploration.

Through our art curriculum, pupils develop into reflective, creative, and culturally aware individuals, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the next stage of their learning journey.