Swiss Gardens Primary School

Our core aim for art is:

To enable our children to be individual artists. To be creative, inspired, inventive, experimental and fully engaged, by making their own art, expressing themselves from the skills and techniques taught.

What do art lessons look like at Swiss Gardens Primary School?

In the EYFS, independent art is constantly available for the children to explore through a variety of materials, tools and techniques, alongside opportunities following the teachers’ modelling of different skills and techniques.

In both Key Stage One and Key Stage Two, children’s art lessons are not timetabled on a weekly basis. Instead, teachers identify when each area of art will be taught across the year, creating units of learning (these could be one off lessons, sometimes a series of linked lessons and where appropriate linked to other curriculum areas). Mostly art is taught in blocks across the academic year. The lessons always develop the learning that is age-appropriate from the national curriculum and school art and design progression document.

In each term there is an alternating art or DT focus (please see DT statement)

Please see  below our new knowledge and skills progressions to see how incremental knowledge is built over time.

The Early Years Curriculm links to  Art and Design Technology 

In Early Years children are encouraged to explore with colour, shape and form, make choices in materials and test out their ideas. They are encouraged to use lots of different media. From chalk on the playground, to painting and drawing from observation. 

Art & DT – They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.

Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology and art. (Expressive Arts & Design)

They handle equipment and tools effectively. (Physical)