Why do we teach Art and Design?

How do we teach Art and Design?

At Woodfield Primary School we recognise the crucial importance of art in allowing children to express themselves freely using a range of mediums.  Children will also take part in cross-curricular learning by learning about great artists of the past, as well as artists from other cultures.  

The art curriculum is designed in such a way that children are involved in evaluation, dialogue and decision making about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they need to make. By taking part in our regular discussions and decision-making processes, children will not only know facts and key information about art, but they will be able to talk confidently about their own learning journey, have higher metacognitive skills and have a growing understanding of how to improve. 

The Kapow Art scheme of work is designed with five strands that run throughout. These are:  

● Generating ideas  

● Using sketchbooks  

● Making skills, including formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour)  

● Knowledge of artists  

● Evaluating and analysing 

Units of lessons are sequential, allowing children to build their skills and knowledge and apply them to a range of outcomes. The formal elements, a key part of the National Curriculum, are also woven throughout units. Key skills are revisited again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning.  

Units in each year group are organised into four core areas:  

● Drawing  

● Painting and mixed-media  

● Sculpture and 3D  

● Craft and design 

Art and Design

Core Curriculum Offer

• Weekly lessons 

• Sketchbook ownership and development 

• Cross curricular opportunities 

• Access to a wide range of mediums 

• Termly parent craft sessions  

• Local artist visits 

• School trips 

• After-school Art club