Art and Design

At Leopold Primary School, we believe that art and design education is essential for developing creative, confident and culturally aware learners. Our art curriculum inspires pupils to explore their imagination, develop technical skills and express themselves through a variety of artistic media.
We use Kapow Primary Art and Design to support the planning and delivery of our curriculum. This provides a progressive, well-sequenced approach to developing pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding, while enabling teachers to adapt learning to meet the needs and interests of our children.
We aim to nurture a lifelong appreciation of art and design, enabling our pupils to understand, appreciate and contribute to the visual world around them.

Intent

• Our Art and Design curriculum is designed to:
  Develop creativity and imagination – Pupils explore ideas, experiment with materials and create original artwork that reflects their individual perspectives.
• Build technical skills progressively – From EYFS through to Year 6, children develop increasingly sophisticated skills and techniques across a range of artistic disciplines.
• Cultivate cultural awareness – Pupils encounter a diverse range of artists, designers, craftspeople, art movements and cultural traditions, developing an understanding of the role of art within society, history and different cultures.
• Foster critical thinking – Children learn to observe carefully, analyse and respond to artwork, and articulate their thoughts, opinions and feelings using appropriate artistic vocabulary.
• Encourage self-expression – Art provides pupils with opportunities to communicate ideas, emotions and experiences visually and to develop their own artistic identity.
• Develop confidence and independence – Pupils are encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, make choices and reflect upon and refine their work.

Implementation

How We Teach Art
Our curriculum is supported by Kapow Primary Art and Design, which provides a clear progression of knowledge and skills and exposes pupils to a broad range of artistic techniques, processes and practitioners. Teachers use Kapow as the foundation for high-quality art teaching, adapting learning where appropriate to reflect our pupils, school community and wider curriculum.

Our Art and Design curriculum is delivered through:

Dedicated art lessons – Each class has regular, timetabled opportunities to engage in practical, creative learning and develop their artistic knowledge and skills.

Progressive learning – Skills and knowledge are carefully sequenced from EYFS to Year 6 so that pupils can revisit, practise and build upon previous learning. Connections between topics are made thoughtfully, with particular emphasis on developing the fundamental skill of observation – the art of looking.

Sketchbooks – Where appropriate, pupils use sketchbooks to explore ideas, practise techniques, record observations, experiment with materials and develop and refine their work. These help demonstrate the creative process as well as progression over time.

Exposure to artists and artworks – Pupils encounter a diverse range of artists, designers and craftspeople, from historical figures to contemporary practitioners. They explore different styles, techniques, traditions and cultural contexts and use these encounters to inspire their own creative work.

Practical exploration – Children have opportunities to experiment with a wide variety of materials, tools and techniques, developing confidence and independence as artists.

Cross-curricular connections – Where meaningful, Art and Design connects with other areas of the curriculum, including history, geography and English. These links enrich pupils' understanding while maintaining the integrity of Art and Design as a subject in its own right.

Key Skills Development:

Throughout their time at Leopold Primary School, pupils develop skills and understanding across a broad range of artistic areas, including:

• Drawing – Exploring line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, form and perspective.
• Painting and mixed media – Developing colour knowledge, colour mixing, brush techniques, composition and the creative combination of materials.
• Sculpture and 3D – Exploring form, structure, construction and the manipulation of different materials.
• Printmaking – Experimenting with printing processes, pattern, repetition and design.
• Digital art – Using digital technology creatively to produce, develop and manipulate visual work.
• Textiles and materials – Exploring processes such as weaving, stitching, collage and fabric manipulation.
• Creative thinking – Generating ideas, experimenting, making artistic decisions, evaluating outcomes and refining work.

Impact

We assess the impact of our Art and Design curriculum by considering both pupils' finished work and, importantly, the creative journey that leads to it. Teachers use observation, discussion, sketchbooks, practical outcomes and pupils' ability to apply previously learned skills and vocabulary to understand progress.

By the time pupils leave Leopold Primary School, we aim for them to:

• Have developed confidence in expressing themselves creatively.
• Possess a strong foundation of artistic knowledge, techniques and processes.
• Apply skills with increasing independence and make purposeful creative choices.
• Understand and appreciate art and design from different times, places and cultures.
• Discuss, interpret and evaluate their own work and the work of others using appropriate artistic vocabulary.
• Reflect upon their creative process and identify ways to develop and refine their work.
• Have discovered personal artistic interests, preferences and strengths.
• Recognise the importance and value of creativity in everyday life, culture and future learning.
• Leave primary school seeing themselves as capable, curious and creative individuals.

Supporting Your Child's Artistic Development

Parents and carers can support their child's learning by:

• Encouraging creative activities at home
• Visiting local galleries and exhibitions together
• Discussing artwork and asking open-ended questions about what they see
• Providing opportunities for drawing, painting, and making
• Celebrating their child's artistic efforts and creativity

We are very proud that some of our Eco Warriors at Leopold Primary School have had their artwork featured in the Brent Council Community Artworks project. Their designs were created as part of the Green Corridor theme and selected alongside work from other local schools.
Click below to explore their amazing artwork.

Brent Council Community Artworks