Art and Design

"Every child is an artist.

The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

- Pablo Picasso

Art and Design at St Francis de Sales 

Intent

At St Francis de Sales, we value art as a powerful form of expression that sparks imagination, nurtures creativity and helps pupils explore ideas, emotions and the world around them. Our curriculum aims to inspire, engage and challenge all pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to appreciate, experiment with and create their own works of art. As they progress, pupils develop a deeper understanding of art and design, exploring its impact across different times, cultures and contexts.

Pupils are empowered to develop as artists. They develop confidence with a wide range of materials, experiment with ideas and techniques, and make creative choices independently. They reflect on their work, refine outcomes and learn to communicate ideas, emotions and stories through visual expression. Oracy is central to this process, with regular discussion of artworks helping pupils to express opinions, justify choices and articulate their responses.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced and vocabulary-rich, fostering technical confidence, creative fluency and a secure understanding of artistic concepts. High aspirations are embedded through responsive differentiation that challenges all learners and enables them to master skills progressively. Pupils are empowered to think creatively, make informed artistic decisions and use every opportunity to reflect, improve and build on their knowledge.

As a result of this approach, pupils leave St Francis de Sales with the skills, confidence and creativity to express themselves as young artists.  They are skilled in technique, capable of discussing and analysing art thoughtfully, and able to use creativity as a tool for expression, wellbeing and problem-solving. Exposure to diverse artistic traditions, alongside specialist teaching and collaboration with our resident artist, ensures pupils are culturally literate, imaginative and inspired to see the value of art in shaping their understanding of the world.

Essential Knowledge:

Cohesion Strategy:

Coherence in Art is strengthened through our five essentials: Acquisition & Retention of Knowledge (skills and techniques revisited and applied across drawing, painting, and sculpture to build fluency and confidence), Enriching Experiences (exploration of tools, media, and materials, alongside teaching by a resident artist and specialist art teacher, and exposure to local, historical, and global art traditions), Independence (pupils make creative decisions, explore personal expression, and reflect on and refine their work), Oracy (articulation of ideas, justification of choices, and discussion of artworks), and Understanding (applying techniques and knowledge across projects, cross-curricular links, and real-world contexts).

Implementation

Art and design is a flourishing subject at St Francis de Sales, valued for its role in pupils’ personal development and wider achievement. Pupils develop mastery in painting, sculpture and drawing using a range of materials, supported by a pupil sketchbook and step-by-step demonstrations with a visualiser. Knowledge and skills are revisited throughout the curriculum, encouraging pupils to reflect on prior work, refine their pieces, and build on existing abilities. Lessons are carefully sequenced and adapted to challenge all pupils, offering support when needed while enabling independent creative decisions and personal artistic expression.

Through Art Appreciation, pupils learn to observe and analyse artworks, developing the confidence and vocabulary to discuss their ideas critically. Formative assessment during lessons provides guidance and stretches pupils to experiment, take creative risks, and learn from mistakes, embedding reflection and improvement as part of the creative process.

Learning is further enriched through exploration of local and wider art, strong cross-curricular links, and engagement with the school environment. Pupils’ achievements are celebrated through internal and external exhibitions, local art competitions, and city-wide projects. Working closely with our specialist art teacher and resident artist, pupils develop technical confidence, creative fluency, and the independence to reflect, refine, and apply their skills, leaving school as confident, capable, and thoughtful young artists.

Impact

We use a variety of methods to measure and assess the impact of our intent and implementation, enabling us to refine planning and continually improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Formative Assessment:

• Termly sketchbook reviews monitor progression, skill development, and independence across drawing, painting, and sculpture.
• Pupil interviews provide insight into attitudes, reflections on learning, and understanding of techniques.
• On-going formative assessment in lessons allows teachers to model skills, offer guidance, address misconceptions, and adapt tasks to provide challenge or support where needed.
• Teachers use high-quality questioning in Knowledge Checkbacks to assess retention and understanding, addressing misconceptions effectively.

Summative Assessment:

• Pupils create a final independent piece, allowing teachers to assess technical skill, creativity, and understanding of art concepts, which informs reflection on teaching effectiveness and pupil progress.
• Mastermind assessments evaluate knowledge retention and conceptual understanding at entry, during the year, and at the end of a topic or year, aligned with National Curriculum objectives, supporting teacher judgements on attainment and progress.
• Pupils complete a baseline drawing at the start of the year and a final drawing at the end. This allows them to demonstrate how well they have transferred and applied the skills and knowledge they have learned.

Monitoring and Feedback:

• The Art Subject Lead reviews lessons, sketchbooks, and pupil interviews to ensure teaching meets high standards.
• Feedback from pupils, teachers, and parents is used to refine lessons, improve practice, and ensure that learning is meaningful and engaging.

Wider Opportunities and Cross-Curricular Impact:

• Pupils benefit from cross-curricular links and exploration of art in the local community, connecting learning to the world around them.
• Achievements are celebrated through internal and external exhibitions, participation in local art competitions, and city-wide projects, helping pupils develop confidence, cultural awareness, and a sense of pride in their work.

Through this multi-layered approach, pupils leave St Francis de Sales as confident, skilled, and reflective young artists, equipped to apply their knowledge, express themselves creatively, and continue developing their artistic abilities.

Impact Presentation

This presentation shows the standards and progress of pupils from Y3 to Y6 via our identified "Golden Threads" of drawing, painting and sculpting. 

Art and Design Data

At entry, all pupils complete a low-stakes baseline in each subject, assessing baseline knowledge and understanding. Throughout the year, pupils revisit and revise key content using the same format. A final end-of-year/topic assessment evaluates retention.  Results inform teacher judgements and subject leader evaluations of curriculum impact. Scores are used to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum, identify gaps in key components and support accurate teacher assessment of attainment and progress.