Art
Curriculum Vision Statement:
At St Jérôme, children experience Art through a creative and inspiring curriculum that encourages curiosity, imagination, and self-expression. Through exploring a range of materials, techniques, and processes, pupils develop confidence in communicating their ideas and responding thoughtfully to the world around them.
Children develop key artistic skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, and mixed media. They learn to experiment with colour, line, shape, texture, form, and pattern while refining their techniques and developing control in the use of different materials and tools. Pupils study the work of a diverse range of artists, craftspeople, and designers, enabling them to understand how art reflects different cultures, experiences, and periods of history. They are encouraged to observe closely, think critically, evaluate their work, and use sketchbooks to develop and refine their ideas.
As they progress through the school, children build their knowledge of artistic processes and vocabulary, becoming increasingly confident in creating original artwork and discussing their creative choices.
The end point for pupils is to leave St Jérôme as confident, creative, and reflective artists who can communicate ideas visually, apply a range of artistic techniques with skill, and evaluate their own work thoughtfully. They will have developed an appreciation of art and design and understand the contribution artists make to society and culture.
How is Art & Design taught at St Jérome?
At St Jérôme, Art & Design is taught through a creative, practical, and knowledge-rich curriculum that inspires curiosity, imagination, and self-expression. Lessons are taught primarily through the medium of French using a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach, enabling children to develop artistic skills whilst building confidence in understanding and using French in a meaningful context.
Teaching combines direct instruction, teacher modelling, practical exploration, discussion, and evaluation. Children study the work of artists, craftspeople, architects, and designers from a range of cultures and historical periods, developing an understanding of the role and impact of art in society. Pupils use sketchbooks as an important part of the creative process, recording observations, experimenting with techniques, developing ideas, and reflecting on their work over time. Sketchbooks provide opportunities for children to take risks, revisit learning, and see their artistic development across the curriculum.
Throughout the curriculum, pupils develop skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, and mixed media. They learn to use the visual elements of art, including colour, line, shape, form, texture, pattern, and space, while generating, refining, and evaluating their own creative ideas. Children build knowledge of artistic techniques and processes and learn to analyse and discuss artwork using appropriate vocabulary.
Oracy is embedded throughout Art & Design. Through the CLIL approach, children regularly discuss artwork, explain their creative choices, and evaluate their own and others’ work using both artistic and French vocabulary. Structured talk and collaborative activities help pupils develop confidence in speaking, listening, and articulating their ideas.
By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to create original artwork, apply a range of artistic techniques with skill and control, evaluate creative outcomes thoughtfully, and demonstrate an appreciation of significant artists, architects, and designers.
How is children’s learning in Art & Design assessed at St Jérôme?
At St Jérôme, assessment in Art & Design is ongoing, formative, and focused on the development of knowledge, skills, and creativity over time. Teachers assess children’s progress through observation, discussion, questioning, and the review of sketchbook work and final outcomes.
Sketchbooks play a central role in assessment, providing evidence of pupils’ developing ideas, experimentation with techniques, refinement of skills, and reflective thinking. They allow teachers to track progression in both artistic understanding and technical ability, as well as the development of creativity and independence.
Children’s learning is assessed against age-appropriate expectations, with a focus on key knowledge and skills such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and use of artistic techniques including line, shape, form, colour, texture, and pattern. Teachers also assess pupils’ ability to evaluate and discuss artwork using appropriate vocabulary, including during oracy-based activities linked to the CLIL approach in French.
Assessment is used to inform teaching and ensure that all pupils are supported and challenged appropriately. Feedback is given verbally during lessons and through dialogue while looking in sketchbooks, encouraging pupils to reflect, refine, and improve their work.
By the end of Key Stage 2, assessment ensures that pupils have developed a secure understanding of artistic techniques, can confidently express and evaluate their ideas, and have built a portfolio of work that demonstrates their progress, creativity, and achievement in Art & Design.
