Art & Design
Intent
At Sholing Junior School, art forms an important part of the curriculum. We believe art education stimulates creativity and imagination and is a vital component of a broad and balanced curriculum that inspires and challenges pupils. This is often linked to core and foundation subjects, with artist studies embedded throughout to give pupils a deeper understanding of the ‘world of an artist’. Throughout the Key Stage, children gain insight into how art both reflects and shapes our history and contributes to the culture, creativity, and wealth of our nation.
At Sholing Junior School, all learners can develop their artistic capability through a variety of fun and engaging lessons.
Our art curriculum promotes:
- Kindness through collaborative projects and respectful feedback
- Curiosity by encouraging exploration of different techniques and artists
- Success by celebrating progress and achievement in creative expression
Implementation
Every half term, all pupils have a weekly art lesson with their class teacher, developing skills in drawing, painting, printing, collage, fabric work, and sculpture throughout KS2.
Every child has a sketchbook that follows them throughout their school journey. This provides a vital record of skills and techniques, serves as a reference tool, and includes finished pieces or photographs of work to celebrate their creativity.
Key skills and knowledge for art have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups. This ensures that children’s work has context and that their skills develop throughout the programme of study, building on prior knowledge and experience.
Children reflect on their finished pieces and the learning journey in their sketchbooks, reviewing skills learned in their current topic and previous experiences.
These experiences foster:
- Kindness when sharing ideas and supporting peers
- Curiosity when experimenting with new materials and styles
- Success when pupils see their growth documented in their sketchbooks
Extra-curricular Art
When opportunities arise, we offer additional art activities for the children. In the past, these have included designing and printing Christmas cards, pottery painting evening sessions, and workshops led by professional artists.