At The Russell School, we take inspiration from our Imaginative Learning Projects and from real-life artists and their work to plan our curriculum to closely align to the National Curriculum for Art and Design.

The art and design curriculum at The Russell School ensures a broad, ambitious, inclusive and well-structured approach to this subject. The children's learning is further enhanced by whole school competitions throughout the year which are enthusiastically supported by children, staff, parents and Governors, raising artistic attainment. At The Russell School, we demonstrate the central importance of our school values such as respect, resilience and kindness, through constructive criticism, in every art and design lesson. Our focus is on the process of making art, as well as the end-product, and we encourage children to work through their setbacks rather than regarding them as failures. Art and design is assessed orally through a series of open questions designed to increase children’s ability to analyse, discuss and evaluate a piece of art, and through a once-a-term assessment piece.

Our teaching of art and design focuses on four key pillars which we believe all our children are entitled to explore and develop. We aim to ensure that all children:

● produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences

● become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques

● evaluate and analyse their own and others’ creative works using appropriate vocabulary

● know about great artists, craft makers and designers

Progression of Knowledge and Skills in Art & Design

EYFS Knowledge and Skills in Expressive Art and Design