Art & Design at Bamford Academy

At Bamford Academy we are Artists! From the moment children join us, we invite them to explore, experiment and express themselves through art, craft and design. Our children are at the heart of everything we do, and Art is one of the ways we help them become happy, ambitious and curious lifelong learners. 

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Art & Design sits naturally alongside our five core values of Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, Kindness and Acceptance. Through sketchbooks, practical making and conversations about artists and ideas, children learn to value their own creativity and the creativity of others. You can read more about our wider vision in the Headteacher’s Welcome. 

We hope this page helps you understand what your child will experience in Art and how you can share in their learning journey. 

Art & Design - At a Glance 

  • We follow Kapow Primary’s Art and Design scheme, designed by specialists and fully mapped to the National Curriculum. 
  • Five strands run through every unit: generating ideas, using sketchbooks, making skills (including the formal elements), knowledge of artists, and evaluating and analysing. 
  • Four core areas are taught across the year: drawing; painting and mixed media; sculpture and 3D; and craft and design. 
  • In Key Stage 1 and 2, Art is taught half-termly in sequences of 5–6 hour-long lessons, giving children time to practise, refine and complete a final piece. 
  • From Year 1, every child has their own sketchbook to record ideas, experiments and progress. 
  • A spiral curriculum means key skills are revisited with increasing complexity, so children build confidence and depth over time. 
  • Lessons are practical and exploratory. Knowledge Organisers support vocabulary, and teacher and pupil videos help model techniques clearly. 
  • Art contributes to personal development: self-reflection, resilience, perseverance and positive wellbeing. 

Intent: Why We Teach Art & Design

Within our Art and Design curriculum we want to foster an enjoyment of the subject and a genuine love of learning about art. Our vision is to create a curriculum that is both intellectually challenging and creatively demanding. 

All pupils are taught art, craft and design to engage, inspire and challenge them. The Kapow scheme is designed to give every child the opportunity to develop their ability, nurture their talent and interests, express their ideas about the world, and learn about art and artists across cultures and through history. 

We aim for children to ‘get better’ at a range of skills in drawing, painting, sculpture and 3D, and craft and design. They work through the artistic process-recording and practising in their sketchbooks before creating a final piece. Language development is also central: purposeful discussion and accurate technical vocabulary help children talk about their work with confidence. 

This sits within our wider curriculum ambition: to provide children with the knowledge, skills and learning behaviours they need to become successful lifelong learners who are happy, ambitious and curious about the world around them. 

Implementation: How We Teach Art & Design

Our scheme of work is built around five strands that run throughout: 

  • Generating ideas 
  • Using sketchbooks 
  • Making skills, including the formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour) 
  • Knowledge of artists 
  • Evaluating and analysing 

Units are sequential so children build skills and apply them to a range of outcomes. The formal elements are woven through every unit. Key skills are revisited again and again with increasing complexity-a spiral model that helps pupils revise and deepen previous learning. 

Units in each year group are organised into four core areas: 

  • Drawing 
  • Painting and mixed media 
  • Sculpture and 3D 
  • Craft and design 

Children re-encounter components such as drawing in every unit so they have time and instruction to become confident artists and designers. Retrieval is part of our school approach: lessons begin with a short activity that helps children recall what they already know before new learning is introduced in small steps. 

Creativity and independent outcomes are embedded, so art remains knowledge-rich while still being unique to each pupil. Guidance is available for every lesson so that all children can access and enjoy the work, with opportunities to stretch learning where appropriate. 

In the classroom - an example 

In a drawing unit, younger children explore different materials, investigate texture through rubbings, practise tonal shading by varying pressure, and create an observational drawing of a real object. Older children move on to three-dimensional effects, proportion, composition and, in upper Key Stage 2, one-point perspective and street-art-inspired work that explores how artists convey messages. Across these sequences, children also learn to talk about meaning, collaborate on shared pieces and evaluate their own and others’ work-practising Individual Liberty (expressing their own ideas), Mutual Respect and, where they share and decide together, aspects of Democracy. 

What you may notice 

You may notice your child talking about artists, bringing home sketchbook experiments, or using words such as tone, texture, composition or perspective. They may show greater willingness to try, refine and talk about what worked and what they would change next time-skills that grow through practice, perseverance and supportive feedback. 

Impact: What Children Achieve 

The curriculum is designed so that children are involved in evaluation, dialogue and decision-making about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they need to make. Through regular discussion they not only know facts and key information about art; they can talk confidently about their own learning journey, develop metacognitive skills and gain a growing understanding of how to improve. 

Formative and summative assessment opportunities are built into each lesson. By the end of primary school, children following the Kapow scheme are expected to: 

  • Produce creative work, exploring and recording their ideas and experiences 
  • Be proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques 
  • Evaluate and analyse creative works using subject-specific language 
  • Know about great artists and the historical and cultural development of their art 
  • Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Art and Design 

What success looks like 

Success is not about every piece looking perfect. It is about a child who feels able to try, who can talk about what they notice and what they intend, who shows perseverance when something does not work first time, and who treats their own and others’ work with respect and interest. We look for growing confidence, thoughtful process and the ability to reflect—skills that support learning across the curriculum and in later life. 

What Your Child Will Learn: Curriculum Overview 

Our Art curriculum is progressive and diverse. Children from Year 1 upwards have their own sketchbook. They are taught practical, disciplinary and theoretical knowledge so they can build on prior learning while remaining free to be creative and expressive. Throughout school, children study drawing, sculpture, painting, printing, collage and textile art within the four core areas. 

Across all year groups the same four core areas - drawing, painting and mixed media, sculpture and 3D, and craft and design - are returned to in a spiral so skills deepen over time. Full progression of knowledge and skills, National Curriculum mapping and unit sequences are set out in the curriculum documents available for download below. 

How You Can Help at Home 

You do not need to be an artist to support your child’s Art learning. Simple conversations about what they notice, what they tried and what they would change next time make a real difference. Looking at pictures, noticing textures on a walk, or keeping a small home sketchbook can all help. 

For practical ideas tailored to the units we teach, please see: View our Art at Home ideas  

View and Download Our Art & Design Curriculum Documents 

The following documents set out our full intent, implementation and impact, and the long-term overview of units: 

  • Art & Design Intent, Implementation and Impact – [Download PDF] 
  • Art & Design Long-Term Overview / Medium-Term Plans – [Download PDF] 
  • Art & Design Policy – [Download PDF] 

If you would prefer a free printed copy of any of these documents, please contact the school office on 01706 631496 or email office@bamfordacademy.co.uk and we will be happy to provide one. 

Supporting Every Child 

We aim to plan inclusive Art lessons that take account of every pupil’s needs and celebrate individual expression. Teachers are flexible in approach and use a wide range of processes, materials and stimuli. Our curriculum challenges stereotypes about what an ‘artist’ looks like and promotes positive attitudes. Adaptations—such as thicker tools, larger-scale work, visual supports, pre-teaching of vocabulary, step-by-step modelling or additional time—are used where they help a child succeed. You can read more about our approach on our SEND information pages. 

If your child needs extra support or further challenge in Art, their teacher will work with you so that learning remains ambitious, accessible and enjoyable. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What scheme does Bamford Academy use for Art? 

We use Kapow Primary’s Art and Design scheme. It has been written by subject specialists, is fully mapped to the National Curriculum, and is designed as a spiral curriculum so skills are revisited and deepened over time. 

Does every child have a sketchbook? 

Yes. From Year 1 upwards, children have their own sketchbook. They use it to record ideas, practise techniques and document their learning journey before creating final pieces. 

How often is Art taught? 

In Key Stage 1 and 2, Art is taught half-termly through sequences of 5–6 stand-alone hour-long lessons. This gives children sustained time to explore, refine and complete work. In Early Years, art and design experiences are available through continuous provision. 

How does Art link to British values and school values? 

Art & Design naturally supports Individual Liberty (expressing personal ideas and choices), Mutual Respect (valuing different approaches and the work of others) and, through collaborative projects, aspects of Democracy. It also reinforces our school values of Respect, Acceptance, Perseverance, Kindness and Responsibility as children try, refine, share and respond to one another’s work. 

Will my child study famous artists? 

Yes. Knowledge of artists is one of the five strands that runs through the scheme. Children learn about artists, craft makers and designers from a range of backgrounds, genres, historical periods and cultures, and they are encouraged to respond to and be inspired by their work. 

How is progress assessed? 

Assessment is built into every lesson through discussion, questioning, peer feedback and teacher observation against clear learning objectives. At the end of units, outcomes are reviewed against the unit content so next steps can be planned. Children are also taught to evaluate their own work and talk about how they can improve. 

Get in Touch 

Our Art & Design Subject Lead is Mrs L Chatterjea. If you have questions about the Art & Design curriculum, how your child is progressing, or how you can support learning at home, please get in touch. We are always happy to talk with families. 

Contact the school office on 01706 631496 or email office@bamfordacademy.co.uk. You can also find us on the Contact page. 

You may also find these pages helpful: 

Art & Design in EYFS

In EYFS, children meet art and design through continuous provision. They have access to playdough and clay, different types of paint, sponges and reclaimed materials for printing, a range of resources for collage, and a variety of drawing equipment. These experiences lay the foundations for later formal learning. 

Art & Design in Key Stage 1

Drawing focus 

In Years 1 and 2, a typical drawing unit explores materials, texture (including rubbings), tonal shading through pressure, and observational drawing from real objects. Children also investigate how colour and filters can change the mood of a photograph. Vocabulary grows to include terms such as grip, mark making, shading, sketch, texture, tone, blend, detail and observe. These experiences link to Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and appreciation of different ideas and creativity, alongside our school values of Respect and Acceptance. 

Art & Design in Lower Key Stage 2

Drawing focus

In Years 3 and 4, children develop three-dimensional pencil drawings, explore how lines and marks create texture and tone, learn about proportion by observing shapes and sizes, and consider how artists arrange objects to create an effective composition. They apply these skills in observational work and may create a collaborative piece inspired by an artist. Vocabulary includes composition, form, highlight, shadow, proportion, scale and contour. Collaboration supports Mutual Respect and aspects of Democracy as children share ideas and work together. 

Art & Design in Upper Key Stage 2

Drawing focus

In Years 5 and 6, children explore street art and how artists use art to share ideas and messages. They learn one-point perspective, scale and proportion (including scaling up), design and create street-art-inspired pieces, and evaluate meaning and message in creative work. Vocabulary expands to include graffiti, mural, vanishing point, realism, symbolism, depth, dimension and visual impact. These units strongly support Individual Liberty (expressing ideas and messages), Mutual Respect and collaborative decision-making.