St Joseph's Art & Design
Our Vision for Art
At St. Joseph’s, we value Art as a subject that inspires and develops our children’s creative thinking and their spiritual, cultural and moral understanding. We believe that art empowers all children, including those with SEND, to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
We aim to cultivate this by providing a rich, diverse and stimulating curriculum for all pupils that builds on their interests and experiences. We encourage all children at St. Joseph’s to express their thoughts and emotions in a safe and appropriate way. Art is a fantastic medium that can support and empower our children to do this.
We teach our children to be reflective of their work and respectful of others. Our school motto, ‘United We Excel’, creates a safe space for our children to explore, experiment and take risks without fear of getting it wrong — which is the essence of what art is and what it can offer our children.
Learning Through Artists
We take inspiration from learning about different artists and their styles, which we then apply to our own work. We plan and teach sequenced art lessons based on skills, using a range of media, and give children opportunities to apply those skills in other areas of the curriculum, making the lessons relevant and meaningful.
We plan to enhance our Art curriculum further by inviting local artists into school to lead workshops and by providing our children with opportunities to display their artwork in The Piece Hall, the library and throughout our school.
Kapow Primary and Skills Progression
At St. Joseph’s we teach Art through a skills-based curriculum. These skills are developed and built upon each year so that pupil progression can be seen clearly across the school. Pupils with SEND are well supported in Art lessons.
Art provides opportunities for enjoyment and achievement that can be missing from other areas of the curriculum. The development of the senses is central to art and design — using sight, touch, emotional response and intellect to learn about different elements of visual language: line, colour, texture, shape, form and space.
Direct handling and manipulation of materials build on a child's natural interest in shape, colour, rhythm and movement, and can lead naturally into developing skills and confidence. Lessons are planned to ensure success in all activities, matching each pupil's level of ability.
All children are exposed to a range of media each year, giving them the opportunity to explore, develop and embed their skills and understanding — from our youngest children in Early Years to our eldest in Year 6.
Assessment and Reflection
During each lesson, progress is assessed in a range of ways. The children are aware of the skills they are developing and can look back on what they achieved before. Through self and peer evaluation, they discuss what they have done well and what they need to continue practising and developing to improve their skills.
Teachers also make suggestions and refer back to previous modelling to support the children. It is incredibly important that children feel empowered and open to making mistakes. In Art, there is no right or wrong — it is all a matter of interpretation.
While drawing, for example, may not be a strong area for one pupil, they may find sculpture easier to grasp. This openness and acceptance allow children to take risks in Art and develop their skills.
Developing Skills and Confidence
At the end of each year, children will have been exposed to a variety of different media, giving them the opportunity to use it in new ways and for different purposes. This builds upon their prior knowledge of what they can do with that media.
Our lessons are accessible and inclusive for all pupils, and children are proud of what they achieve. They can look back at their earliest work in their sketchbooks and see the progress they have made. As they move up through the school, children begin to develop their own preferences for media and styles through regular exposure and exploration.
Art, Wellbeing and Life Skills
Our open and accepting approach not only helps to develop creativity within Art but also extends to other areas of life. Our Art provision supports our students' mental health and well-being, offering a safe and inclusive space to express themselves, explore their emotions and build resilience.
Through Art, children develop key life skills that will support them beyond St. Joseph’s, such as:
- Respecting others and their work, even when opinions differ
- Persevering when things go wrong or plans change
- Building resilience and confidence
This resilience reflects the virtues that are at the heart of our school and prepares our children for the world beyond St. Joseph’s.
“In Art there is no right or wrong – it’s all a matter of interpretation.”
St. Joseph’s Art & Design Department