Art

Intent 

Our curriculum gives learners opportunities to: 

 

•  create and explore various artistic techniques. 

• They learn about artists and artworks from different cultures and times. 

• The curriculum teaches art basics like colour, form, and texture in small steps. 

• Students practice and improve their art skills over time. 

• The curriculum aims to build confidence, resilience, and a willingness to take risks. 

 

Implementation 

At Swindon Academy: 

•  The art curriculum follows the United Learning Art curriculum and aligns with the National Curriculum 2014 and the Programmes of Study for Key Stages 1 and 2, as well as ‘Understanding the World’ within the Early Years Foundation Stage. 

• The curriculum is taught in three blocks of six weeks over the year throughout Key Stage 1 and 2, providing pupils with regular opportunities to build knowledge, explore concepts, and develop scientific thinking. 

• It is carefully structured and outlines the key units to be taught in each year group. These units are sequenced to ensure a logical progression of both substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills. Each key stage focuses on different themes to ensure continued interest in the subject as well as acquiring new knowledge. 

• The curriculum aims to develop children’s techniques, including their control and use of materials, with creativity, experimentation, and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft, and design. Children also learn how art and design both reflect and shape our history and contribute to the culture, diversity, creativity, and wealth of our nation and the wider world. 

• It is underpinned by Rosenshine’s principles of instruction and reflects evidence-based best practice. 

• The curriculum is carefully sequenced, and concepts are gradually built over time. If pupils are keeping up with the curriculum, they are making progress. 

 

Assessment opportunities: 

• Formative Assessment in Lessons: Teachers use formative assessments during lessons to identify and address misconceptions, ensuring pupils understand the content. 

• Low-Stakes Summative Assessment: At the end of each unit, low-stakes quizzes assess pupils' understanding of core knowledge. These quizzes help teachers identify gaps and misconceptions to address before moving on. 

 

 

Impact 

By the end of the primary phase, each pupil will: 

• Have a growing independence as a unique individual and understand how they have been shaped by their experiences and actions.  

• Have a good understanding of perception and how others’ may view them differently or have different expectations.  

• Be able to explain how prejudice and discrimination may be influenced by a variety of factors such as personal belief, the impact of the media and cultural influences.   

• Talk about their dreams and goals and explain the factors which influence them.  

• Have plans in place to achieve their goals.  

• Be able to justify how emotions affect responsible choices and evaluate strategies that people can use to help them stay happy and healthy and to reduce risk-taking behaviour.  

• Have a good understanding of why people experience different feelings in a shared experience and how this can relate to behaviour.  

• Discuss a range of changes that themselves or others may experience in their lives and relate these to internal and/or external factors