Our Art & Design Curriculum

Article 29: Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full

Our goal is for our children to become artists. Artists must have: 

• The ability to use visual language skilfully and convincingly (for example, line, shape, pattern, colour, texture, form) to express emotions, interpret observations, convey insights and accentuate their individuality.  
• The ability to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form.  
• The ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination.   
• The ability to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate perceptively and powerfully through purposeful drawing in 2D, 3D or digital media.  
• An impressive knowledge and understanding of other artists, craft makers and designers.  
• The ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret ideas, observations and feelings.
• Independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity.  
• The ability to select and use materials, processes and techniques skilfully and inventively to realise intentions and capitalise on the unexpected.  
• The ability to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others.  
• A passion for and a commitment to the subject.  

Fundamental Foundations

We believe that for children to secure greater depth, it is important that they first have solid fundamental foundations. Fundamental foundations should not be rushed and so the notion of ‘rapid progress’ must be dismissed. Instead the goal of repetition should be seen as both useful and necessary. This is why you will see us returning regularly to art knowledge and concepts.  

Cognitive Domains – Degrees of Understanding  

We refer to three degrees of understanding and thinking ‘Basic’, ‘Advancing’ and ‘Deep’.  

BASIC – Low level cognitive demand. Involves acquisition of fundamental foundations.  

ADVANCING – Higher level cognitive demands beyond recall. Requires application involving some degree of decision making in how to apply fundamental foundations.  

DEEP – Cognitive demand involves non-standard, non-routine, inter-connected, multi-step thinking in problems with more than one possible solution. Requires reasoning and justification for the inventive application of fundamental foundations. 

Time Scales for Progression Through the Cognitive Domains

Milestone 1 – Y1 & Y2 

Milestone 2 – Y3 & Y4 

Milestone 3 – Y5 & Y6  

Each milestone should be seen as containing two phases. In the first phase, pupils should repeat the content a sufficient number of times to secure fundamental foundations; in the second phase, they should apply the foundations in order to reach the ‘expected’ standard. If they reach this before the end of the second phase, they should move on to tasks that will secure greater depth. Thus, progress through the cognitive domains take two years.  

It is expected that by the end of Year 1, pupils should be able to complete the BASIC tasks to secure fundamental foundations and by the end of Year 2, the ADVANCING tasks. It is also reasonable that a number of children may move on to the DEEP activities if they secure an early understanding of advancing.  

Milestone 1  Y1 & Y2			Milestone 2  Y3 & Y4			Milestone 3 Y5 & Y6
Beginning  Y1	Advancing  Y2	Deep  Y2	Beginning  Y3	Advancing  Y4	Deep  Y4	Beginning  Y5	Advancing  Y6	Deep  Y6

Page 144 of the Primary National Curriculum 2014 states: 

‘While it is important that pupils make progress, it is also vitally important that they develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage. Insecure, superficial understanding will not allow genuine progress: pupils may struggle at key points of transition (such as between primary and secondary school), build up serious misconceptions, and/or have significant difficulties in understanding higher-order content.’ 

We believe that it is therefore extremely important to secure the fundamental foundations before trying to secure greater depth.   

Curriculum Breadth, Depth &  Progression Principles 

We have carefully planned our curriculum to ensure progression as well as breadth and depth. These are the principles we have adhered to: 

• We revisit the same micro-topics in both years of a milestone so that pupils have a chance to connect topics together (intra-curriculum links).
  
• Threshold concepts are returned to regularly within and through all the milestones.
  
• Planning ensures that we move from basic to advancing, with some children achieving deeper learning over the two years within a milestone.
  

Building an Art & Design Schema at Bangabandhu

Our pupils will form an Art & Design schema* by: 

• using concepts as the basis for schema. We call these threshold concepts; these are the big ideas which form the basis for the subject schema. In art the threshold concepts, developing ideas, mast techniques and take inspiration from the greats. 
• strengthening the schema with knowledge. The knowledge comes from our topics. Within each topic are knowledge categories, the facets of each threshold concept that helps to strengthen the schema. The geography knowledge categories are media and materials, techniques, effects, colour theories, emotions, artists and artisans, styles and periods, visual language and process.  
• Further deepening connections through tasks. This is what is developed though our planning. 

*Schema – Schema theory states that all knowledge is organised into units. A schema therefore is a conceptual system for understanding knowledge. A subject schema is a way of organising knowledge in a meaningful way; it is an appreciation of how facts are connected and the ways in which they are connected. A schema is distinct from information, which is just isolated facts that have no organisational basis or links.  

Threshold Concepts broken into Milestones - Progression through Key Stages

MILESTONE 1
Develop Ideas		Take Inspiration from the Greats
Respond to ideas and starting points. Explore ideas and collect visual information.  Explore different methods and materials as ideas develop.		Describe the work of notable artists, artisans and designers.  Use some of the ideas of artists studies create pieces.
Master Practical Skills
Paint  Use thick and thin brushes.  Mix primary colours to make secondary colours.  Add white to colours to make tints and black to colours to make tones.  Create colour wheels.	Collage  Use a combination of materials that are cut, torn and glued.  Sort and arrange materials.  Mix materials to create texture.	Sculpture  Use a combination of shapes.  Include lines and texture.  Use rolled up paper, straws, paper, card and clay as materials.  Use techniques such as rolling, cutting, moulding and carving.	Drawing  Draw lines of different sizes and thicknesses.  Colour (own work) neatly, following the lines.  Show pattern and texture by adding dots and lines.  Show different tones by using coloured pencils.
Print  Use repeating or overlapping shapes.  Mimic print from the environment (eg wallpapers).  Use objects to create prints (eg fruits, vegetables or sponges).  Press, roll, sub and stamp to make prints.	Textiles  Use weaving to create a pattern.  Join materials using glue and/or a stitch.  Use plaiting.  Use dip dye techniques.	Digital Media  Use a wide range of tools to create different texture, lines, tones, colours and shapes.

MILESTONE 2
Develop Ideas		Take Inspiration from the Greats
Develop and imaginatively extend ideas from starting points throughout the curriculum.  Collect information, sketches and resources and present ideas imaginatively in a sketchbook.  Use the qualities of materials to enhance ideas.  Spot the potential in unexpected results as work progresses.  Comment on artworks with a fluent grasp of visual language.		Give details (including own sketches) about the style of some notable artists, artisans and designers.  Show how the work of those studied was influential in both society and to other artists.  Create original pieces that show a range of influences and styles.
Master Practical Skills
Paint  Sketch (lightly) before painting to combine line and colour.  Create a colour palette based upon colours observed in the natural or built worlds. Use the qualities of watercolour and acrylic paints to create visually interesting pieces.  Combine colours, tones and tints to enhance the mood of a piece.  Use brush techniques and the qualities of paint to create texture.  Develop a personal style of painting, drawing based on ideas from other artists.	Collage  Mix texture (rough and smooth, plain and patterned).  Combine visual and tactile qualities.  Use ceramic mosaic materials and techniques.	Sculpture  Show lifelike qualities and real life proportions or, if more abstract, provoke different interpretations.  Use tools to carve and add shapes, texture and pattern.  Combine visual and tactile qualities.  Use frameworks (such as wire or moulds) to provide stability and form.	Drawing  Use a variety of techniques to add interesting effect (eg reflections, shadows, direction of sunlight). Use a choice of techniques to depict movement, perspective, shadows and reflection. Choose a style of drawing suitable for work (eg realistic or impressionistic).  Use line to represent movement.
Print  Build up layers of colours.  Create an accurate pattern, showing fine detail.  Use a range of visual elements to reflect the purpose of the work.	Textiles  Show precision in techniques.  Choose from a range of stitching techniques.  Combine previously learned techniques to create pieces.	Digital Media  Enhance digital media by editing (including sound, video, animation, still images and installations).

MILESTONE 3
Develop Ideas		Take Inspiration from the Greats
Develop and imaginatively extend ideas from starting points throughout the curriculum.  Collect information, sketches and resources and present ideas imaginatively in a sketchbook.  Use the qualities of materials to enhance ideas.  Spot the potential in unexpected results as work progresses.  Comment on artworks with a fluent grasp of visual language.		Give details (including own sketches) about the style of some notable artists, artisans and designers.  Show how the work of those studied was influential in both society and to other artists.  Create original pieces that show a range of influences and styles.
Master Practical Skills
Paint  Sketch (lightly) before painting to combine line and colour.  Create a colour palette based upon colours observed in the natural and built worlds.  Use the qualities of watercolour and acrylic paints to create visually interesting pieces.  Combine colours, tones and tints to enhance the mood of a piece.  Use brush techniques and the qualities of paint to create texture.  Develop a personal style of painting, drawing based on ideas from other artists.	Collage  Mix texture (rough and smooth, plain and patterned).  Combine visual and tactile qualities.  Use ceramic mosaic materials and techniques.	Sculpture  Show lifelike qualities and real life proportions or, if more abstract, provoke different interpretations.  Use tools to carve and add shapes, texture and pattern.  Combine visual and tactile qualities.  Use frameworks (such as wire or moulds) to provide stability and form.	Drawing Use a variety of techniques to add interesting effect (eg reflections, shadows, direction of sunlight). Use a choice of techniques to depict movement, perspective, shadows and reflection. Choose a style of drawing suitable for work (eg realistic or impressionistic).
Print Build up layers of colours.  Create an accurate pattern, showing fine detail.  Use a range of visual elements to reflect the purpose of the work.	Textiles  Show precision in techniques.  Choose from a range of stitching techniques.  Combine previously learned techniques to create pieces.	Digital Media  Enhance digital media by editing (including sound, video, animation, still images and installations).

Curriculum Breadth, Depth & Progression Principles 

We have carefully planned our curriculum to ensure progression as well as breadth and depth. These are the principles we have adhered to: 

Drawing is an element of all topics, particularly when collecting and exploring ideas.

Painting is a particular focus in Milestone 1 in order to develop foundation skills.

There is a balance of opportunities to master practical skills in paint, collage, sculpture, print, textiles and digital media throughout all three milestones. 

In each micro-topic we have specifically planned to take inspiration from the greats and over the course of the three milestones pupils will meet and learn about a wide range of artists and artisans, their styles and their period.

We revisit the same micro-topics in both years of a milestone so that pupils have a chance to connect topics together (intra-curriculum links).

Planning ensures that we move from Basic to Advancing, with some children achieving Deeper learning over the two years within a milestone.

 Curriculum Breadth Maps (topics) - Intent

• Milestone 1 Curriculum Map
• Milestone 2 Curriculum Map
• Milestone 3 Curriculum Map

How we Implement our Curriculum

• Art Policy
• An example of a Milestone 1 Lesson
• An example of a Miilestone 2 Lesson
• An example of a Milestone 3 Lesson