Intent

At Waverley Junior Academy we are committed to providing a high-quality Art and Design education that engages, inspires and challenges children, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to not only create their own works of art but to appreciate how Art and Design both reflect and shape our history and enrich our lives. Our Art and Design curriculum has been devised to expose all pupils to a rich and diverse range of artists, craft makers and designers, as well as giving them the opportunity to develop their own art and design skills as they move from EYFS through to Year 6. Through high quality teaching we aim that our children will gain a genuine love for Art and Design that will remain with them into adulthood.

Implementation

Essential Skill Progression

EYFS

The children’s journey will start in Foundations@Waverley through the 'Expressive Arts and Design' strand of the EYFS curriculum. Here they begin to explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. The children will be encouraged to communicate effectively when they share their creations and explain the processes that they have used. Materials will be accessible daily (through continuous provision) allowing the children to develop and explore their ideas and to be imaginative and expressive.

KS1

Children will be taught a wide range of Art and Design skills and techniques that they will continue to develop throughout their time at the academy. They will explore different techniques to create colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. The children will be given opportunities to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products through drawing, painting and sculpture. Art and Design will be taught in discrete Art and Design lessons and through artist studies (see below) but also as part of English and wider curriculum lessons.

KS2

During Key Stage 2 children will build on the knowledge and skills that they have gained in Key Stage 1. The children will develop and improve their skills in drawing, painting and sculpture using a range of different materials. They will also use a sketch book to explore and record their own ideas and experiences, and to review and revisit ideas. As in Key Stage 1, Art and Design will be taught in discrete Art and Design lessons and through artist studies (see below) but also as part of English and wider curriculum lessons.

Please click here to download the Art Essential Skills Document 

Artist Study

Twice a year, children will study one artist in detail. This artist will link to the history, geography or science learning of their year group. The children will learn about the life and career of the artist, study the artist’s work, explore the materials and techniques used by the artist and create their own piece of artwork inspired by the artist. Children will learn to critique both their own work and the work of others, and to describe similarities and differences between the different practices and disciplines that they have studied. The key knowledge, skills and vocabulary of each study builds progressively across each year group, therefore allowing children to build on prior learning and make links across studies.

Please click here to download the Artist Study Guidance 

Across all key stages, when possible, Art lessons are based on current topics. This allows the children to make links between their learning and transfer skills they have developed in other subjects. Books that inspire pupils’ love of reading are used as a hook for creative work and to develop the vocabulary our children use when explaining their creative choices. During Art lessons, teachers emphasise the importance of respecting the classroom rules and using the equipment correctly and carefully.                    

Impact

• Children will become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
• Children will evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
• Children will know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
• Children will produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experience.
• Children will develop a love for Art and Design.

The impact of our Art and Design curriculum will be seen not only in our children’s topic books/sketch books but also through classroom displays and the school environment.

Supporting documents

Please click here to see the WJA Long Term Plan 

Useful Websites

• An Eye For Art – explore the work of 50 great artists 
• BBC Bitesize – lessons to develop art and design skills and techniques
• Tate Kids – fun art and design activities, games and quizzes

If you have any questions about how art and design is taught within school or how to further support your child at home, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Royle (Art and Design Lead).