The Art and Design leader is Mrs Firkins.

At Pirehill First School, we follow the Kapow scheme of work for Art and Design.

Kapow Primary’s Art and design scheme of work aims to nurture pupils’ creativity, imagination and visual literacy, encouraging them to think like artists and designers. The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to experiment, express ideas and communicate meaning through visual and tactile media.

The scheme promotes an appreciation of art as a powerful form of human expression, helping pupils to understand its role across different cultures, time periods and creative industries. It encourages children to value originality, take creative risks and reflect critically on their own work and that of others.

The scheme supports teachers in developing their subject knowledge and pedagogical confidence, enabling the delivery of rich, engaging and purposeful lessons. The curriculum is designed to be both inclusive and ambitious, ensuring all pupils are equipped to enjoy, create and respond to art in meaningful ways.

National Curriculum Expectations

Kapow Primary's Art and Design Scheme of Work

The Kapow Primary Art and design scheme of work fulfils the statutory requirements outlined in the National curriculum (2014). It was created based on the principles outlined in the Ofsted research review series: Art and design.

The Art and design schemes of work are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the latest educational research and global developments. The curriculum reflects current thinking in Art education by drawing on insights from curriculum research, cognitive science and developments in subject-specific pedagogy.

While not tied to a single framework, the scheme draws on best practice in curriculum design, including clear progression of knowledge and skills, thoughtfully sequenced learning and purposeful contexts for making. This enables pupils to build secure, connected knowledge and develop an authentic understanding of artists, artistic techniques and how to evaluate and analyse creative work.

National Curriculum Purpose of Study

Kapow Primary’s Art and design curriculum is designed to support creativity, self-expression and critical thinking through a rich exploration of artistic media, techniques and ideas. Through a carefully sequenced spiral curriculum, pupils develop practical skills, deepen their understanding of artistic concepts and learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings visually.

The curriculum encourages personal responses and experimentation while building proficiency in key areas such as drawing, painting, sculpture and craft. Pupils engage with a diverse range of artists and traditions, helping them to appreciate the role of art in different times, cultures and communities.

As pupils progress, they learn to use sketchbooks to develop and refine ideas, evaluate their own work and the work of others, and articulate informed opinions using appropriate artistic vocabulary. By combining technical skill with imagination and critical reflection, pupils become confident, independent artists with a growing awareness of art’s value in the world around them.

National Curriculum Aims

Kapow Primary’s Art and design curriculum is structured to meet the aims of the National curriculum by developing pupils’ knowledge, understanding and confidence across the following key strands:

Generating ideas – exploring, visualising and developing original ideas in response to a range of stimuli.

Using sketchbooks – recording, experimenting, refining and reflecting throughout the creative process.

Making skills – becoming proficient in a range of artistic techniques and media, including drawing, painting, sculpture and craft.

Knowledge of artists – learning about significant artists, craft makers and designers from a diverse range of cultures, periods and traditions.

Evaluating and analysing – using artistic vocabulary to reflect on and discuss their own work and that of others critically and thoughtfully.

To ensure progression in making skills across a range of media, the curriculum is organised into the following key areas:

Drawing – developing control and expression through line, shape, tone and texture using a variety of tools and materials.

Painting and mixed media – exploring colour, layering and surface to create expressive, imaginative outcomes using a range of techniques.

Sculpture and 3D – constructing, modelling and shaping materials to realise ideas in three dimensions.

Craft and design – learning how art connects to the wider creative industries through purposeful making and design projects.

Each unit belongs to one of these key areas and contributes to the development of all five strands. The spiral curriculum ensures that pupils revisit and build upon prior learning year on year, enabling them to develop mastery and confidence while developing their own style.

All lessons are mapped to the National curriculum attainment targets.

EYFS (Reception)

Kapow Primary’s EYFS Art and design content is designed to align with the EYFS Statutory framework, focusing on Expressive arts and design.

Activities also draw on guidance from Development matters (non-statutory), which supports practitioners in helping children explore and engage with a wide range of media and materials and to express their ideas and feelings through art, design and imaginative play.

Kapow Primary’s materials introduce foundational knowledge, skills and behaviours that prepare children for the National curriculum in KS1 and beyond. Children are encouraged to experiment, explore, create and reflect, laying the groundwork for future learning across all five Art and design strands.

The component knowledge and skills are mapped across the five strands: Generating ideas, Using sketchbooks, Making skills, Knowledge of artists, and Evaluating and analysing. This ensures a consistent and developmentally appropriate pathway from Reception to Year 4.

Ofsted Research Review

Kapow Primary’s schemes of work are based on principles outlined in the Ofsted research review series: Art and design.

The scheme carefully defines what is taught, the rationale behind it, the sequencing for learning and the relationships between the forms of knowledge. The aim is for pupils to know, remember and be able to do more.

The curriculum incorporates practical, theoretical and disciplinary knowledge, integrated and sequenced through the strands. This structure supports pupils in developing both technical skill and creative thinking across a broad and rich experience of art and design.