Intent

At St Mary’s C of E Primary School, we believe that Art & Design is a vital part of a broad and balanced education. Art nurtures creativity, develops fine motor and visual literacy skills, and encourages self-expression. Through our curriculum, we aim to enrich children’s learning experiences and foster a lifelong appreciation and enjoyment of the arts.

Our Art & Design curriculum enables children to develop critical thinking, visual literacy, and an understanding of both their own and others’ cultural heritages through the study of a diverse range of artists, craftspeople, and designers. Children explore the visual elements of art and design—line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, and 3D form—through carefully sequenced lessons and rich learning experiences. Our intent is to enable every child to reach their full creative potential and to see themselves as artists.

Implementation

To ensure consistently high standards in Art & Design, we follow a well-structured, two-year rolling curriculum using the AccessArt scheme. This approach ensures clear progression across year groups and embeds key knowledge and skills as outlined in the National Curriculum. Art is taught as part of our termly topics, and it is given equal status alongside core subjects, reflecting our belief in its importance for the development of the whole child.

Every child at St Mary’s has their own sketchbook, which they use throughout their time at the school. These sketchbooks document their creative journey, showing progression and reflecting on their evolving ideas, techniques, and responses. They support children in becoming reflective, independent artists.

Art is further celebrated through coordinated whole-school projects and our participation in the annual Spirited Arts Competition, which gives children the opportunity to showcase their talents alongside other schools and to explore deeper thinking through artistic expression.

Our curriculum is enriched by high-quality resources and the effective use of our local environment. We offer opportunities for outdoor learning and engage artists and craftspeople from the local and wider community to share their expertise. Our inclusive teaching strategies ensure that all learners, including SEND and disadvantaged pupils, can access and thrive in Art & Design. More able pupils are encouraged to extend their thinking by applying their skills in new contexts and through different mediums and formats.

Impact

Our carefully designed curriculum ensures that children leave St Mary’s with a strong foundation in the key principles of art, including line, tone, texture, shape, form, space, pattern, colour, contrast, composition, proportion, and perspective. Through the consistent use of sketchbooks, children learn to plan, refine, and review their work, building both skill and resilience as artists.

Children develop an appreciation of art from different times, places, and cultures and learn to apply what they see and understand to their own creative work. They are encouraged to take risks, think critically, and express themselves with confidence.  Assessment in Art & Design is ongoing and formative, grounded in conversation, reflection, and observation. Teachers assess children’s understanding through dialogue about intention, process, and final outcomes, rather than relying solely on finished pieces. This approach values the creative journey and supports authentic, personal expression.

Each year culminates in a celebratory Art Gallery Showcase, where children’s work is exhibited and shared with families and the wider community. This event highlights the pride children take in their artwork and reinforces the value we place on the arts within our school community.