Curriculum Intent

St. Mary’s Art and Design curriculum aims to inspire pupils and develop their confidence to experiment and invent their own works of art. We want to give pupils the opportunity to develop their ability, nurture their talents and interests, express their ideas and thoughts about the world, as well as learning about art and artists across cultures and through history. Our Art and Design curriculum enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum. 

Curriculum Aims

Whole School Aims	In Art and Design…
To have Christ at the centre of everything we do.  To provide opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident, resilient, successful & motivated learners with high aspirations who know how to make a positive and transformational contribution to their local community and wider global society.	Art and Design  offers the children the opportunity to use their God given gifts and talents and use these to develop their ability, nurture their talents and interests and express their ideas about the world. Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in a process of designing and making. Art plays in important role religious understanding and spirituality.  Religion and religious events are often portrayed in well known pieces of art work.
To be firmly rooted in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.  Inspired by Pope Francis, St. Mary’s Curriculum encourages our pupils to grow in self-awareness and become advocates of social justice.	Through the appreciation and evaluation of art work, both historical and modern our children will develop a critical understanding of the need for social justice in the world.  Many art pieces of work depict the work of Jesus, and by reflecting on these, children can develop a sense of moral justice. Art plays an integral role in contributing to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
To challenge all pupils, regardless of disadvantages or special needs, to be the greatest example of themselves.  Through experiences both inside and outside of the classroom, pupils are provided with a purpose and relevance for learning, which allows them to develop their own personal strengths and interests.	During lessons children are able to use a range of practical skills and hands on approaches to developing pieces of art. The wide range of technical skills and artistic genres covered in our curriculum allow all pupils the opportunity to succeed.
St Mary’s Curriculum develops the key skills necessary for all our pupil and promotes high expectations of standards and enjoyment in Reading, Writing and Maths across all subject areas.	Through the study of Art and Design, pupils will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as Mathematics, Science, Computing, Photography and Art.  Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.  By experiencing success in Art, pupils are more likely to be motivated to achieve in other subjects such as Maths, Reading and Writing.
To develop pupils with a broad and lasting knowledge of subject specific vocabulary.	Art has a very subject specific vocabulary.  If pupils are able to talk about art using technical vocabulary, it will equip them well for the next stage of their education and for employment in Art related disciplines.
To empower pupils to respect each other and themselves, show respect and understanding for people of all faiths, race and gender, and for all living things, promoting stewardship and to ensure all pupils are well prepared for life in a rapidly changing world.	Our Art and Design curriculum encourages pupils to critic their own and others work.  This promotes respect for the work that they have all created and the understanding that they may have a different ideas and viewpoints.

Curriculum Implementation

At St. Mary’s Art and Design is designed with five strands that run throughout. These are:

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

Units of lessons are sequential, allowing children to build their skills and knowledge, applying them to a range of outcomes. The formal elements, a key part of the National Curriculum, are also woven throughout units. Key skills are revisited again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Units in each year group are organised into four core areas:

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

Lessons are always practical in nature and encourage experimental and exploratory learning with pupils using sketchbooks to document their ideas. All lessons can be accessed and enjoyed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers are provided for each unit and support pupils by providing a highly visual record of the key knowledge and techniques learned, encouraging recall of skills processes, key facts and vocabulary.

Curriculum Impact

Throughout the Art and design curriculum at St. Mary’s, pupils are involved in evaluation, dialogue and decision making about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they need to make. By taking part in our regular discussions and decision-making processes, pupils will not only know facts and key information about art, but they will be able to talk confidently about their own learning journey, have higher metacognitive skills and have a growing understanding of how to improve.

The expected impact of Art and Design at St. Mary’s is that pupils will:

• Produce creative work, exploring and recording their ideas and experiences.
• Be proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques. 
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using subject-specific language.
• Know about great artists and the historical and cultural development of their art.
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the national curriculum for Art and Design.