Benchill Primary School

Benchill Primary Art and Design Curriculum

Intent

At Benchill Primary, we believe that art, craft, and design are some of the highest forms of human creativity. Our art and design curriculum aims to:

Engage, inspire, and challenge students.
Equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent, and create.
Develop critical thinking and a deeper understanding of art and design.
Show how art reflects and shapes history and contributes to culture and wealth.

We want all our students to:

Create original artworks, exploring their ideas and experiences.
Become proficient in various techniques, including drawing, painting, and sculpture.
Evaluate and analyze artworks using the language of art.
Learn about great artists, craft makers, and designers, and understand their historical and cultural contexts.

Implementation

The Benchill Curriculum is a knowledge-rich program where students learn about:

Various artists, designers, and architects, and their work.
Artistic concepts and styles in a historical context.
How these elements influence their own artwork and skill development.

Our curriculum enables students to:

Connect the work of different artists, architects, and designers to their own projects.
Evaluate and reflect on their work and others', creating a cycle of continuous learning and improvement.
Express themselves and discover their identity as artists through meaningful opportunities.

Units of work in the Benchill Curriculum cover:

Art concepts: line, shape, color, tone, form, space, texture, and tone.
Different types of art: sculpture, architecture, painting, portraits, landscapes, history painting, etc.
Artistic movements and periods: impressionism, Anglo-Saxon art, Chinese painting, and more.

We ensure gradual progression in skills (painting, drawing, 3D form, collage, textiles, printmaking, photography, and mixed media) and knowledge (styles and types of art). Our planning structure also emphasizes the process of art, from critical analysis to observation, exploration, and evaluation. Activities include:

Observational and imaginative drawing in Key Stage 1.
Independent investigation, sketching, design, and planning by the end of Key Stage 2.
Independent and investigative studies, particularly in years 5 and 6.

Our curriculum meets the National Curriculum requirements and explores key movements and historical periods in Western art. It aligns art units with history topics to help children make connections and reinforce their knowledge.

Impact

The Benchill Curriculum aims to provide a well-rounded art education that:

Balances the study of Western art with diverse cultural perspectives.
Includes art from the Islamic world, Western Africa, China, and other cultures.
Addresses issues of colonialization, empire, and the influence of non-Western art on Western art.
Highlights women artists and their underrepresentation in traditional narratives.
Offers opportunities to study art by women and ethnic groups in the 20th century.

Our Curriculum Overview details the National Curriculum requirements for each key stage. It specifies:

Concepts, types of art, skills, and processes covered each year.
Artists, designers, architects, and skills included in each unit.

Children's progress is recorded in sketchbooks, including:

Artwork and photographs of their creations.
Written reflections on the work of other artists and their own.
Knowledge organizers, learning objectives, and quizzes to track knowledge and skill progression.

The Benchill Curriculum ensures that students not only learn about art but also develop a lasting love for the subject, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.

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