The national curriculum for Art and Design aims to ensure that all pupils produce creative work, explore and record their ideas, become proficient in a range of techniques, and evaluate both their own work and that of others. Our Art curriculum is designed to build these skills progressively from Year 1 to Year 6 through a carefully structured sequence of engaging, high-quality projects.
At Park Spring Primary, Art is taught two topics that connect to wider curriculum themes. Each project follows a clear structure: exploring and evaluating existing works (including a range of artists, styles, and cultures), developing practical skills, and creating final pieces with opportunities for personal expression. Lessons are designed to model key techniques and encourage experimentation with a range of media including drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, and 3D form.
Our long-term plan ensures progression across year groups, with skills and knowledge mapped out to align with national curriculum objectives. Artists studied include Frida Kahlo, David Hockney, Henry Rousseau, Georgia O’Keeffe, J.S. Lowry, and more, offering cultural capital and inspiration throughout the key stages. Units such as Anglo-Saxon illuminated manuscripts, Stone Age cave art, and Roman mosaics also ensure cross-curricular links with history and geography.
Art lessons are inclusive and accessible to all learners, with opportunities for support and challenge. We use visual scaffolds, modelled examples, and vocabulary-rich knowledge organisers to promote subject-specific language and improve knowledge retention. Children are encouraged to critique their own and others’ work using appropriate vocabulary and reflect on how artists communicate ideas.
Extra-curricular enrichment is provided through themed art days and experiences.
At Park Spring Primary, our Art and Design curriculum enables children to become confident, creative and reflective artists. Through a progressive and skills-based approach, pupils develop their ability to experiment with materials, express their ideas visually, and take pride in their outcomes.
Children leave each key stage with a solid foundation of artistic knowledge and a secure understanding of how art is used to communicate across time, cultures, and societies. They are able to discuss artwork using appropriate vocabulary and demonstrate increasing independence in their creative choices.
The impact of our Art provision is visible in sketchbooks, displays, and through pupil voice. Children enjoy talking about their work, celebrating their achievements, and evaluating their artistic journey. Regular assessment against clear learning objectives ensures that all pupils, including those with additional needs, make good progress.
Above all, pupils leave Park Spring with a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts, feeling empowered to express themselves creatively and to engage with art in the wider world with curiosity, respect and enthusiasm.
November 14, 2025
