Art at Sacred Heart Primary School

At Sacred Heart Primary School, Art is taught every other half term, alternating with Design and Technology (DT). This approach allows pupils to fully immerse themselves in each subject and develop their skills in depth. The rotation follows the long-term plan provided by the Kapow Primary scheme, which is designed specifically for schools that alternate Art and Design with Design and Technology across the year. The long-term plan we follow can be viewed here:

Art and DT Long Term Plan – Kapow Primary

We use the Kapow Primary Art and Design scheme of work, which is fully aligned with the National Curriculum and provides clear progression from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through to Year 6. The scheme ensures that pupils build on prior learning each year, developing both practical artistic skills and knowledge of artists, techniques and styles.

Kapow Primary strands in Art and Design

The Kapow Primary scheme is organised into key strands which are revisited throughout the school to ensure clear progression. These strands include:

• Drawing
• Painting and mixed media
• Sculpture and 3D
• Craft and design
• Art and design skills (making skills and formal elements)
• Knowledge of artists and art history
• Evaluating and analysing

These strands are taught in a spiral curriculum, meaning that children return to each area several times as they move through the school, each time developing greater control, understanding and independence. For example, drawing begins with mark-making and simple shapes in EYFS, develops into work on tone, texture and proportion in Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2, and progresses to more advanced techniques such as perspective, composition and expressive drawing in Upper Key Stage 2. This ensures that skills build logically over time and pupils can apply what they have previously learned in new contexts.

Progression from EYFS to Year 6

The Kapow Primary scheme provides full coverage of the National Curriculum and carefully sequences learning so that pupils develop:

• Practical knowledge (using materials, tools and techniques)
• Theoretical knowledge (learning about artists and artistic styles)
• Disciplinary knowledge (understanding how art is created, discussed and evaluated)

These types of knowledge are revisited across all year groups so that pupils gain confidence in using sketchbooks, generating ideas, evaluating artwork and developing their own artistic style as they move through the school.

High quality planning and resources

Each unit in the Kapow Primary scheme includes bespoke lesson planning, assessment guidance and high-quality resources for teachers to use in the classroom. Units are designed to be engaging, practical and creative, allowing pupils to experiment with different media, explore ideas and reflect on their work. Assessment opportunities are built into every unit to ensure that teachers can monitor progress and support all pupils in achieving the expected outcomes for their year group.

The scheme is immersive and inspiring, giving children the opportunity to develop their creativity, imagination and confidence while learning about a wide range of artists, cultures and artistic traditions.

Our aim in Art at Sacred Heart

By following the Kapow Primary Art and Design scheme of work and the alternating long-term plan, Sacred Heart Primary School ensures that all pupils receive a broad, balanced and progressive Art curriculum from EYFS to Year 6.

Through our Art curriculum, we aim for children to:

• Develop creativity and imagination
• Learn and apply artistic skills with increasing confidence
• Understand how art reflects culture, history and personal expression
• Take pride in their work and enjoy expressing themselves through art.