Art at Wolsey House Primary School is taught through an adapted version of the Kapow scheme of work, which provides a structured, spiral curriculum that revisits and builds on key skills and knowledge as pupils progress through the school. The curriculum is designed to inspire and challenge our children, enabling them to express themselves confidently and creatively.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, art is taught through Expressive Arts and Design, linked to the Big and Little Question through learning opportunities in the classroom and outdoor area. As well as this, our children focus on a half-termly ‘Work of Art’, which they recreate using different media.

Our teaching focuses on four key areas of learning. Pupils begin by generating ideas, using experimentation and imaginative thinking to explore their artistic creativity. They then develop strong making skills, learning practical methods and techniques, working with a variety of media and materials and gaining an understanding of the formal elements of art such as line, tone, shape, colour, form, pattern and texture. These skills are built progressively across drawing, painting and mixed media, sculpture and 3D and craft and design and are sometimes linked to seasonal celebrations or school events, such as making Christmas cards or creating poppies.

Our children also learn to evaluate and analyse artwork, using appropriate vocabulary to discuss how art is created, interpreted and judged. This helps them develop disciplinary understanding through questions such as what is art, why do people make art and how do people talk about art?

Our children gain knowledge of artists by studying a diverse range of traditional and contemporary creators, exploring their materials, processes and meanings. This supports their understanding of art history and artistic intent, while also allowing pupils to ‘see themselves’ reflected in the artists they study.

Throughout the school, all of our children use sketchbooks to record ideas, experiment with techniques, reflect on their learning and refine their work over time.

Through this approach, our children develop practical, theoretical and disciplinary knowledge, forming the school’s substantive knowledge across the Kapow strands: making skills, knowledge of artists and evaluating and analysing.

In KS1 and KS2, pupils encounter a wide range of artists and develop increasing proficiency across all areas of art, with skills building year on year to ensure clear progression.

Art is celebrated across the school, with pupils’ work displayed in classrooms and shared spaces to recognise their achievements and highlight the importance of Art and Design in the curriculum.