Art and Design at Selwyn
Curriculum intent
The aim of Selwyn’s bespoke art curriculum is to engage, inspire and challenge pupils to invent and create their own original works of art. Through our curriculum learning journeys we will enable children to become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques as they progress through the school from Nursery to Year 6, developing their mastery over time.
Learning journeys begin with lessons that explore inspirational artworks that stimulate experimental responses. Learning ‘through’ the making process, children develop their curiosity in their world around them – observing, exploring, testing, playing, imagining and transforming. Likewise, learning ‘about’ the diverse work of great contemporary and historical artists inspires our children to seek out a world of infinite creative possibilities.
As projects evolve, children are supported and nurtured to develop their independence – recording observations and refining ideas in sketchbooks, working towards a developed study in each unit. In these lessons children are provided with a safe space to develop their resilience as they experiment with a range of materials and media – taking risks and learning from ‘mistakes’ and happy accidents.
While risk-taking and child-centred exploration is highly valued, at the heart of the curriculum design is the desire for art learning to be a springboard – for children to be ambitious, work towards high-quality outcomes and develop the skills to talk about their work. Over time, Selwyn pupils develop their practical, theoretical and disciplinary knowledge and skills in the subject, which enables them to confidently express themselves through a variety of media, take pride in their achievements and ownership of their creativity.
In addition to art lessons, enrichment is designed to be a key component of our art curriculum offer. Through a diverse enrichment programme artistic practise takes centre stage, enabling children to make links between arts and culture and actively participate in a range of cultural events, activities and experiences.
Curriculum implementation
The Selwyn Art and Design curriculum is bespoke – tailored to the needs of our children and thematically linked to their learning in the Humanities curriculum. Over the course of the year, each year group (Nursery – Year 6) undertakes three Art and Design learning journeys (1 per term). They are delivered in sequence: drawing, painting, sculpture. This ensures a broad range of artistic experiences are provided for every child, every year.
The images below provide further information about the implementation of our curriculum.
Overview of Art and Design with links to the Geography Curriculum
Cross curricula links are an important part of learning at Selwyn. The table below provides an overview of how our Art and Design curriculum links with our Geography Curriculum.
