Intent

At St Cuthbert Mayne Catholic Primary School, we believe that Art and Design provides every child with the opportunity to explore, create, imagine and express themselves. Through our Art curriculum, we aim to nurture creativity, curiosity and confidence, enabling children to recognise and celebrate their own unique talents and those of others.

We use Kapow Primary Art and Design to provide a broad and progressive curriculum which inspires pupils to experiment and create their own works of art. The scheme provides opportunities for children to develop their abilities and interests, express their ideas and thoughts about the world and learn about art and artists from different cultures and throughout history. 

We want every child to see themselves as an artist and to understand that creativity is not simply about producing a finished piece, but about having the confidence to explore ideas, make choices, experiment, reflect and persevere.

Through Art and Design, we aim to broaden children's cultural experiences and encourage them to appreciate different artists, traditions, cultures and perspectives.

Implementation

Art and Design is taught through the Kapow Primary Art and Design scheme of work, providing a carefully sequenced progression of knowledge and skills.

The curriculum is structured around five key strands:

• Generating ideas
• Using sketchbooks
• Making skills, including the formal elements of line, shape, tone, texture, pattern and colour
• Knowledge of artists
• Evaluating and analysing 

Units are sequential so that children build on their previous knowledge and skills. Important skills are deliberately revisited with increasing complexity through a spiral curriculum, helping children to develop and deepen their learning over time. 

Across the school, children experience the four core areas of:

• Drawing
• Painting and mixed media
• Sculpture and 3D
• Craft and design 

Children are given opportunities to:

• experiment with a range of materials, techniques and artistic processes;
• develop and record their ideas through sketchbooks;
• learn and use appropriate artistic vocabulary;
• explore key formal elements including colour, line, shape, pattern, texture and tone;
• learn about artists and artistic traditions from different cultures and periods of history;
• make individual creative choices rather than simply reproducing identical pieces of artwork;
• evaluate and analyse their own artwork and the work of others; and
• revisit previously taught knowledge and skills so that their artistic understanding becomes increasingly sophisticated.

Kapow's approach encourages practical, experimental and exploratory learning and supports children in making their own creative choices so that their finished artwork can be individual and personal. 

Teachers model artistic techniques and vocabulary while giving pupils the freedom and confidence to explore their own ideas. We value both the creative process and the final outcome, recognising that experimenting, adapting and learning from mistakes are important parts of being an artist.

Impact

By the time children leave St Cuthbert Mayne, we want them to have developed the knowledge, skills, confidence and creativity to express their ideas through art.

Children will be able to:

• use a range of materials, tools and techniques with increasing confidence and control;
• apply their understanding of the formal elements of art, including colour, line, shape, tone, texture and pattern;
• generate, develop and communicate their own creative ideas;
• use sketchbooks confidently to explore, experiment and develop ideas;
• talk about their own work using appropriate artistic vocabulary;
• evaluate their work and identify ways in which it could develop;
• demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of a range of artists, cultures and artistic traditions;
• make connections between artists and their own creative work;
• show resilience by experimenting, taking creative risks and understanding that artwork can develop and change;
• take pride in their creativity and achievements; and
• recognise themselves as artists with their own ideas, preferences and creative voice.

Ultimately, we want our pupils to leave St Cuthbert Mayne with an appreciation of art, confidence in their own creativity and an understanding that art provides a powerful way of expressing ideas, experiences, emotions and perspectives.

Our Art journey in a nutshell

Explore → Experiment → Develop skills → Generate ideas → Create → Evaluate → Reflect