"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)

Intent- How our curriculum is structured and organised

Art and Design & Technology are an integral part of The Queen’s School curriculum, offering children of all abilities the opportunity to explore, understand and respond to the world around them through different mediums, as well as expressing their own individual interests and ideas.

Art & Design:

Based on the National Curriculum objectives, our skills and knowledge map (below) focusses on the progression of art knowledge and skills from EYFS to Year 6 in these key areas:

• Drawing
• Colour
• Printing
• Pattern
• Texture
• Sculpture

These skills are revisited building on previous knowledge, developing application of techniques and different mediums, equipping pupils to experiment, invent and create their own works of art and design.

Our curriculum is designed to reflect and support learning across other subject areas, with cross-curricular links. Children are encouraged to think critically by investigating and evaluating a range of creative outcomes from the past and present, as well as their own work, in order to build on and improve their understanding and skill set. Evaluation is a key part of all art lessons, with children developing the skills over time to reflect on their learning throughout the process as well as at the end of a project, building skills of art appreciation and the confidence to be self-critical and reflective.

At the start of every unit of learning, children are introduced to a range of art works created by artists and designers, representative of different ethnicities, genders, cultures and historical backgrounds, as an inspiration for their own creative work and to give context for their learning.

Design & Technology:

For learners in Years 1 to 6 our Design and Technology curriculum covers The National Curriculum objectives and provides opportunities to experience the design, make, and evaluate process. Whilst building technological knowledge and vocabulary.

Learners are taught, through a variety of creative and practical activities, the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an interactive process of designing and making. From playground designs to moving monsters each experience has been planned with a relevant context in mind and to progress and develop key skills as learner’s journey through our school. Our skill and knowledge map (below) details how these skills are built on each year.

Implementation - How our curriculum is taught

Our EYFS curriculum provision is planned to maximise opportunities to foster our learner’s innate imagination and joy of exploration and experimentation in art and design. We aim for all children to meet or exceed the Early Learning Goals in expressive arts and design:

Exploring and using media and materials:

Children sing songs, make music and dance, experimenting with ways of changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.

Being imaginative:

Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about use and purpose. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories.

Art & Design:

Key Stage 1 - pupils learn:

• to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products 
• to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop, explore and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
• about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.

Key Stage 2 -  pupils learn:

• to develop their techniques, including their control and use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
• to select appropriate mediums and resources/equipment/tools
• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
• to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
• about great artists, architects and designers in history.

Design & Technology:

Key Stage 1  - pupils learn:

Design:

• purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.
•  generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, planning, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology

Make:

• select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing]
• select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

Evaluate:

• explore and evaluate a range of existing products
• evaluate their ideas and products against a design criteria

Technical knowledge:

• build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
• explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products

Key Stage 2 – pupils learn:

Design:

• use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

Make:

• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately
• select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate:

• investigate and analyse a range of existing products
• evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
• understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world

Technical knowledge:

• apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
• understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]
• understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors]
• apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.

The curriculum is enhanced with visits to galleries and/or in school workshops and Art weeks, which give opportunities for pupils to work on whole school art projects alongside professional artists.

Impact- A cohesive learning journey

As artists and designers children are equipped with the skills and knowledge to transition to the next stage in their learning journey, within The Queen’s school and beyond.

Learners are articulate when discussing their thoughts and ideas about a piece of work and are taught to explain the processes involved, using accurate terminology. Evaluations of their work are reflective and they show respect and compassion towards others thoughts and ideas, learning the skills of being objective and justifying their opinions. The school environment celebrates achievements in art and demonstrates the subject’s high status in the curriculum. Our Christian distinctiveness is celebrated through the many art projects displayed in the school. All learners have the opportunity to establish a lifelong interest in art and design and move to secondary school with the skills and knowledge to pursue the subject further.

Please scroll down to the end of the page to view:  

• The Queen’s School Art & Design & Design & Technology Key Overview
• The Queen’s School  Art & Design knowledge and Skills Progression map                                                     
• The Queen’s School  Design & Technology knowledge and Skills Progression map