What are the aims and purpose of our curriculum?

This curriculum instils a passion for art, craft and design. Pupils study a broad and diverse range of art and artists, as well as learning the knowledge and skills to develop their own reflective art practice. They have multiple opportunities to express their own ideas and experiences both in practical tasks and discussion, and the exposure to creative industries and professions fosters curiosity in opportunities beyond the classroom.

What overarching curriculum principles inform the design of our curriculum?

This principle recognises the important role that knowledge, and vocabulary as a particularly important type of knowledge, plays in learning. We identify and map vocabulary across the curriculum, both in terms of the introduction of new vocabulary and the necessary repetition of vocabulary that has gone before. New vocabulary, called keywords, are signalled in bold in our lesson materials to indicate their importance. We have carefully selected vocabulary that develops pupils’ visual literacy and enables them to engage with the visual world around them. This supports them to better utilise the skills, materials and techniques being taught and equips them with the language to express their own ideas.

A careful and purposeful sequencing of our curriculum content underpins the design of our curriculum, ensuring that pupils are able to build on and make links with existing knowledge. For example, key stage 1 drawing units focus on the ability to observe and record simple lines and shapes. Pupils progressively build the confidence to draw complex forms and explore the qualities of different materials and techniques to do this. Pupils then move onto a range of design, making and expressive activities that encourage them to apply what they have learned with increasing independence. Attention is paid to vertical coherence via threads, which map the developments of concepts over time, for example, in our ‘paint’ thread pupils are taught about basic colour mixing in year 1 through to finding their artistic voices at GCSE.

Our evidence-informed approach enables the rigorous application of research outcomes, science of learning and impactful best practice both in education in general and at a subject specific level. For example, the design of our resources reflects findings from Sweller’s cognitive load theory and Mayer’s principles of multimedia learning whilst our lesson design draws on Rosenshine’s principles of instruction. We also draw on findings from research organisations such as the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). At the subject level, our curriculum sequence has been developed by drawing together research and best practices from the National Society of Education in Art and Design (NSEAD) such as ‘The Big Landscape’ and ‘Better Practice’ research programme as well as the Runnymede Trust 'Visualise' research programme. Our curriculum draws on the work of NSEAD special interest groups including the Special Interest Group for Advancing Anti-ableist Pedagogy and Anti-Racist Art Education groups, who advise on issues of anti-racism, gender and anti-ableism.

Our flexible approach enables schools to use our resources in a way that fits their school setting and meets the varying needs of teachers and their pupils. Our curriculum can be used in its entirety or units can be selected to complement existing curricula.. Our resources are adaptable so that, for example, teachers can easily add local context such as the work of local artists, can edit or add checks for understanding, or adapt practice tasks to better reflect the prior knowledge of their pupils. At key stage 4 teachers and pupils can select a pathway aligned to the most frequently used exam board specifications for GCSE Art & Design: AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas or OCR.

Our commitment to breadth and diversity in content, language, texts and media can be seen throughout the curriculum, for example in the group of diverse school age characters that feature in our resources. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about a diverse range of well known and lesser known artists, makers, and designers. These selections reflect the breadth of practice in art and the potential for future creative possibilities. Contextualising art and artworks historically and geographically allows pupils to recognise themselves in the visual world whilst broadening their perspectives.

Our curriculum is intentionally designed to facilitate high-quality teaching as a powerful lever to support pupils with SEND. Aligned with EEF guidance, our resources have a focus on clear explanations, modelling and frequent checks for understanding, with guided and independent practice. Lessons are chunked into learning cycles and redundant images and information are minimised to manage cognitive load. We have removed reference to year groups in our resources so that they can be used when pupils are ready, regardless of their age. Our resources are purposefully created to be accessible, for example by using accessible fonts, colours with good contrast, and captions in our videos.

What subject specific principles inform the design of our curriculum?

Focuses on the knowledge and skills specific to art, craft and design, including:

Drawing, painting and three-dimensional work - practised discretely to develop technical proficiency as part of a broad programme that includes pupils' experiences and original thinking;

Cultural and contextual knowledge about artists, craftspeople and designers;

How art and design is studied, discussed and judged enabling pupils to develop their own appreciation and opinion of it.

Our curriculum carefully maps the required theoretical knowledge with the need for experiential or practical knowledge though hands-on making. This balanced approach ensures that pupils develop the knowledge and skills necessary to create their own art whilst also gaining an understanding of the concepts and ideas that inform and give context to their creative work. Every unit incorporates opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. This prepares students to think critically and creatively, equipping them with a comprehensive understanding of the art world.

Facilitates both convergent (where pupils work towards similar outcomes) and divergent (where pupils work towards different outcomes) approaches to the way that pupils acquire knowledge and make work.

Our curriculum ensures that pupils are exposed to both convergent and divergent outcomes. Convergent outcomes where all pupils work towards a single, correct solution to a problem, technique or method of using materials. Divergent outcomes emphasise open-ended problem-solving, where there is no single, correct answer. They allow pupils to explore multiple solutions, experiment with ideas, and push creative boundaries. They give students the freedom to take risks and explore new methods or media without fear of being wrong. For example a convergent approach is used when teaching observational drawing skills with a pencil as pupils learn how to use the drawing tool to achieve tone. In contrast, a divergent approach is used in a collage unit where pupils explore different compositions and use their own artistic judgement to settle on an outcome.

Applies our diversity principle by exposing pupils to art and design from a diverse range of contexts.

Our curriculum includes art from the Western canon and from across the globe. We have been guided by the Runnymede Trust 2024 report, ‘VISUALISE: Race & Inclusion in Secondary School Art Education’ to ensure an appropriate and inclusive representation of artists, designers, and makers.

How does our curriculum reflect the aims & purpose of the national curriculum?

There are four aims of the national curriculum. First, is that the curriculum should enable pupils to ‘produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences’. Our curriculum encourages students to express themselves creatively through a variety of processes, developing their ability to communicate visually. 

We teach pupils to ‘become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art, craft, and design techniques’. We provide opportunities for pupils to acquire fundamental techniques in drawing, painting, and three-dimensional work, amongst other approaches. Our secondary units build on this with a focus on more advanced techniques and deeper, more autonomous artistic exploration. In the year 5 unit ‘Architecture: drawing and sculpture’ pupils learn drawing and sketching techniques for communicating architectural ideas and gain an understanding of 3D forms and spatial relationships. In the year 9 unit ‘Architecture: the built environment’ pupils deepen their knowledge of perspective drawing and consider different types of architecture in more detail, for example domestic, functional, public and monumental.

Our curriculum ensures pupils can ‘evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft, and design’ by teaching them to use art-specific vocabulary and establish criteria for self and peer assessments. This approach supports their ability to form informed opinions and engage in meaningful discussions about art. They learn to discuss and critique their own and others' work, using appropriate terminology to articulate their thoughts on artistic choices and techniques.

Pupils are given the opportunity to ‘know about great artists, craft makers, and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms’. The curriculum nurtures an early appreciation for art and its historical contexts, with secondary units offering a more detailed study of art history, movements, and critical analysis, providing pupils with a comprehensive understanding of art's evolution and its influence from and impact on society. The year 6 unit ‘Art detectives: looking at people and places’ develops pupils’ ability to access, filter and identify appropriate and relevant information on art history. In subsequent secondary units, such as ‘Art movements’, pupils learn in depth about art from western art movements and broaden their understanding of movements from different places alongside this.

What teaching time does our curriculum require?

Our curricula for key stages 1-3 are designed for 36 weeks of curriculum time across the school year, leaving time for other activities both within and beyond the curriculum such as assessments or school trips. At key stage 4, year 10 also has 36 weeks of curriculum time, but year 11 has only 24 weeks (approximately 2 terms) to recognise that schools will not be teaching new content in the run up to the GCSE exams.

At key stages 1-3, our curriculum has been designed to teach one weekly lesson, approximately 40 minutes long in key stage 1 and 50 minutes to an hour in key stages 2 and 3. We understand that exact time dedicated to art and design can vary greatly between schools due to differences in curriculum planning, resource allocation and school specific priorities. Therefore we fully expect and encourage teachers to adapt our curriculum and resources to best suit their needs and available curriculum time.

At key stage 4, our curriculum allows for approximately two one hour lessons per week, though there are more lessons available as different unit options in the sequence to allow for different endorsements (areas of specialisation) in different exam board pathways. We have not provided explicit lessons to support the externally set assessment (ESA) in line with JCQ and awarding body regulations which stipulate only providing pupils with technical and health and safety guidance.

We use threads to signpost groups of units that link to one another, building a common body of knowledge over time. We use the term thread, rather than vertical concepts, themes, or big ideas, because it helps to bring to mind the visual concept of a thread weaving through the curriculum.

Our art and design threads that weave through both our primary and secondary curricula are (in alphabetical order):

Our threads reflect the knowledge, skills and techniques that are the foundation of art, craft and design. They map the development of practical, theoretical and disciplinary knowledge of art, craft and design over time. The threads develop pupils’ knowledge, personal expression and creative skills and expose them to a range of creative industries. For example, the ‘digital’ thread introduces pupils to photography in key stage 2 using a studio set-up and in key stage 3 pupils use digital editing tools to manipulate images. Consistent threads across our primary and secondary curricula can enable more effective transition, helping pupils to bridge their knowledge and understanding from primary to secondary.

Recommendations from subject specific reports

How does our curriculum address and enact recommendations from subject specific reports (e.g. EEF guidance reports & Ofsted Research Review)?

Our curriculum is aligned with the NSEAD ‘Big Landscape’ toolkit. The toolkit emphasises the need to encourage critical thinking and discussion about the societal and cultural influences on art. A key feature of our units is to support teachers and pupils in having rich, contextual and critical discussion about the art they look at as well as making their own art inspired by it. In line with the toolkit, we ensure that pupils see themselves and others reflected in the curriculum and create opportunities for personal and social exploration through art.

Our curriculum draws on evidence-based research and is informed by the definitions and examples of good practice referenced in the Ofsted research review for art and design. The review notes that deep learning cannot be achieved with an ‘inch deep mile wide’ approach. Our curriculum focuses deeply on specific aspects of art, allowing students to build technical skills, develop critical understanding, and apply knowledge creatively. Rather than rushing through many topics, students have the time to master important skills, such as observational drawing, analysis of artworks, and creative experimentation.

How does our curriculum deal with elements that arise from the specific needs of the subject?

What artists, makers and designers are featured in our art and design curricula?

National Society for Education in Art and Design

Primary

Art and design

Collage

Design 

Digital

Draw

Paint

Print

Sculpt

Textiles 

In this unit puils will investigate, explore and use a range of materials and  techniques to create drawings. They will make art expressively and spontaneously, create texture and surfaces with charcoal and create patterns with familiar shapes. 

How artists make marks

Expressive and spontaneous mark making 

Mark making with ink and water

Textured marks with charcoal

Mark making and patterns

Building drawing machines

Mark making: using drawing tools and techniques

Through investigations and studies of a diverse range of artworks based on water, pupils will make their own observations and records of the subject. They will make water studies in the mediums of collage and paint.

How has water been depicted by artists, makers and designers

Sketchbook experimentation: water-like marks

Collage with water as a subject

Painting with water as a subject

Plan and draft imaginative water painting 

 Make a collaborative water painting

Reflections on water: introducing painting 

Pupils learn the principles of weaving and develop their manipulative skills through fastening fabric based materials. They investigate and explore the principle of textile construction and gain sensory experience of textile materials. 

The qualities of different textiles materials

Textiles from different times and cultures

Textile materials: joining, fastening and changing

Weaving with paper on card looms

Weaving using everyday objects as a frame

Weaving techniques

Watery weavings: introducing textiles

In this unit, pupils will develop brush control and knowledge of paint colours, techniques & processes. They will experiment with mixing and applying colours in visual contexts, for creative effects and to solve problems. They will investigate how artists used colours to portray the seasons.

Mixing secondary colours: spring greens

Mixing secondary colours: autumn oranges

Mixing secondary colours: summer violets

Summer: painting with hot colours

Winter: painting with cold colours

Painting the seasons

The seasons: painting and colour mixing

In this unit, pupils will explore art, artefacts, and architecture from around the world. Through hands-on activities, they will experiment with different making techniques and materials to create artworks. Pupils will gain a wider context of how art shapes and reflects our global history over time.

Make flower sculptures: texture

Drawing flowers: shape and line

People who are important to you: drawing, print and photo

Painting flowers for the garden:colour mixing

Floral decoration : pattern

Combine elements and create a flower garden

Create a flower garden: introducing the 7 elements of art 

Pupils will develop their ability to apply light and dark tones to shade the surface of the moon. They will paint a space background and create a planet using printing techniques.

Shading light and dark

Draw the moon using tone 

Create a space scene with chalk pastels 

Make collage papers using marbling techniques

Create planets and stars using collage papers

Create a space inspired composition

Moon and space: drawing and mixed media

This is a profile portrait drawing unit that incorporates photographing and drawing the face in profile, printing and relief sculpture. Pupils will not only draw the face, but celebrate what is unique about themselves incorporating this into their art.

Profile portraits in art

Draw a profile portrait

Take and edit a digital portrait 

Create an identity mood board

Make a print profile portrait

Relief sculpture profile portrait

I am beautiful: drawing and mixed media 

A diverse range of approaches will be used in this unit to investigate houses in both an artistic and an architectural style. Drawing and printing techniques will be explored before pupils investigate how architects design environmentally friendly houses or flats, then design their own eco-home.

Drawing and painting: my dream building 

Drawing buildings in charcoal 

 Drawing in an architectural style 

Make a monoprint of buildings 

Sustainable practice: Eco-architecture

Design an eco-home

Our spaces: drawing and printing

This unit examines the pupils’ sense of self and explores their relationships with others. They will make clay figures, small drawings and prints as well as collecting photos. They will design and make sculptures from a wire armature and masking tape, before combining their elements.

How relationships have been represented in art and design

Sculpt yourself in modelling clay

 Represent people who are important to you through drawing, print and photos

Explore structure and form through drawing

Make a three dimensional form using wire and masking tape

Combine design elements into a sculpture

Me, myself and others: clay sculpture 

This unit develops pupils’ ability to draw expressively and imaginatively in a range of media. They will investigate how and why artists create their art, before designing and sculpting an imaginary paradise island either individually or collaboratively.

Imaginative memory drawing

Respond to artists' visions of paradise

Invent a collaborative paradise island

Construct a paradise island base

Make a papier-maché paradise island

Decorate a papier-maché paradise island

Paradise island: drawing and sculpture 

Pupils will learn about art made from reclaimed materials. They will explore this theme to make their own animal art in two and three dimensions, applying core art skills and craft techniques. 

Drawing animals using silhouette stencils

Model an animal in playdough or clay

Upcycled art: using reclaimed materials

Sculpture: make a simple animal armature

Build an animal sculpture using reclaimed materials  

Reclaimed materials: finalising an upcycled animal sculpture

Reclaimed materials: drawing, printing, sculpture 

This unit will examine the life and work of Frank Bowling, in particular his map paintings. Pupils will make art that represents movement, using stencil and painting techniques and be inspired by the life and work of Bowling.

The artist Frank Bowling and his studio 

The inspiration behind Frank Bowling's work 

Places and migration  

Making and using map stencil 

Refining map paintings 

Frank Bowling map paintings 

Pupils will learn about different artists who used forest scapes as their subject. They will create rubbings and make a collage from  objects they have collected, before making observational drawings and developing and realising their own rainforest painting.

Artists who use the rainforest as inspiration for their artwork

Make frottage leaf studies

Collage skills using the rainforest as inspiration

Draw the rainforest: studies of plants and leaves 

Explore the shades, textures and colours of a rainforest

Painting skills inspired by the rainforest

The Rainforest: drawing and painting

This design and make unit has links with the creative industries. Pupils will identify and study popular monsters in film and TV, before realising their own imaginative concepts into models and animation.

Monsters in myths and film

Design a monster

Plan a monster animation 

Make a modelling clay monster 

Make your monster move using stop frame animation

Edit and complete a stop frame animation

Monsters: sculpture and digital design

Pupils will combine readily available scrap items into model animals, learning how to construct through assembling materials. They will develop their ability to draw and shade 3-dimensions

Sketchbook research: artists who have assembled materials to make sculpture

Sketchbook research: insect, animal and bird studies and designs

Sculpture: make a maquette

Select materials and assemble scrap materials creatures

Sculpture: refine and finish creature creations

Make a tonal study of a sculpture

Creature Construction: sculpture

In this unit, pupils will explore the world of insects up close, recording their observations using line drawing techniqes. They will develop these drawings through a number of print processes, before creating and realising a design for surface print. 

Draw and observe insects up in detail

Select drawings to develop into print

Insect printmaking: monoprint

Insect printmaking: block print 

Design insect repeat patterns 

Make a repeat pattern print

Insects: drawing and printmaking 

In this unit, pupils design and make a robot using recycled materials. They will investigate robots in film and TV, before answering a series of quick robot design challenges, then creating their own recycled robot using construction techniques.

Research robots in art

Recycled robot design idea development

Create a final design for a recycled robot

Sculpt a robot using recycled materials

Sculpture: finalising a robot made from recycled materials

Reflect and refine a robot sculpture

Recycled robots: drawing and sculpture 

Pupils will create a range of art outcomes based on the theme of patterns. They will look at patterns in the natural world and investigate how pattern and decoration forms a fundamental part of art making. They will make a pattern motif and use it to create their own repeat pattern.

Create a pattern using a square grid

Create a kaleidoscope pattern 

Patterns in nature

Investigating patterns and decoration in art

Design and make a pattern motif

Print a repeat pattern using a motif 

Perfect Patterns: drawing and design 

In this unit, pupils investigate an architect and learn to draw buildings in an architectural style. They may work in groups to respond to an architectural design challenge and design and make a solution in two and three dimensions, before making a group presentation.

Investigate an architect

Draw buildings using simple perspective

Tonally shade architecture

Develop a collaborative group design

Make an architectural 3D model

Present a group design proposal

Architecture: drawing and 3D design

Pupils will learn about composition in landscape, and investigate different artist's work. They will use this knowledge to interpret a local landmark from different viewpoints and perspectives. They will develop these studies into a low relief ceramic tile. 

KS1 & KS2 Art and design

Unit sequence

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

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