| Art |
Art & Design Curriculum
At Shiney Row Primary School, our Art & Design curriculum is designed to nurture every child’s creativity, imagination and confidence as an artist. Rooted in the National Curriculum aims, we ensure pupils learn to produce creative work, explore ideas, master techniques, evaluate their work and understand artistic heritage. As pupils progress, they develop both the knowledge (concepts, techniques, artistic traditions) and the skills (drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, digital art) needed to express themselves with increasing control and purpose.
Our curriculum is structured to ensure clear progression from Early Years through Key Stage 2, with pupils revisiting and building on core skills such as drawing, colour theory, mark‑making, and sculpture. Skills and concepts advance in complexity over time, reflecting research‑informed art progression models and whole‑school mapping guidance. Regular retrieval of prior learning strengthens long‑term understanding and supports children to make meaningful connections between techniques, materials and concepts.
We place strong emphasis on experimentation, creativity and reflective practice, giving children opportunities to explore ideas, take creative risks and develop independence. This aligns with the national expectation that art should “engage, inspire and challenge pupils,” enabling them to experiment, invent and create original artworks. Sketchbooks are used throughout Key Stage 2 as a space to generate ideas, practise techniques, record observations and revisit concepts over time, supporting reflective and iterative artistic development.
Our curriculum intentionally includes a broad and diverse range of artists, craft makers and designers, ensuring that pupils encounter artistic traditions from different cultures, perspectives and periods, allowing every child to see themselves in the art world and appreciate global creativity. High‑quality artist studies deepen cultural understanding while helping children analyse, evaluate and apply artistic techniques in their own work.
Knowledge and vocabulary are woven throughout each unit so children develop a strong visual literacy, learning to talk about art using precise language linked to line, shape, colour, form, texture and composition. Evidence‑informed curriculum principles highlight vocabulary as a vital component of subject mastery and progression.
Through this rich, inclusive and progressive curriculum, we empower every child to express themselves confidently, develop technical skill, think critically, and appreciate how art reflects and shapes the world around us. Our aim is for all pupils to leave Shiney Row Primary School as imaginative, skilled and culturally aware young artists.
