“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” -Pablo Picasso
At Kader Academy, art is a powerful means of expression and identity. We encourage every child to explore their creativity, take risks and develop confidence in their own unique voice, ensuring that all pupils see themselves as artists.
Aims
At Kader Academy, we believe Art and Design is a vital part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Our art curriculum is designed to ignite creativity, develop artistic skills and cultivate a lifelong passion for the arts.
Rooted in three key areas – generating and exploring ideas, developing techniques, and evaluating work – pupils build both disciplinary and substantive knowledge over time. They draw inspiration from a diverse range of artists and designers, developing an understanding of how art reflects and shapes history, culture and society.
We aim to nurture pupils’ confidence to express their individual ideas, thoughts and experiences, fostering a strong sense of identity as artists. Through ambitious and inclusive opportunities, pupils are encouraged to take risks, experiment and strive for excellence. By engaging with the work of others and sharing their own, pupils build positive relationships and develop respect for different perspectives.
Ultimately, we aim for all pupils to leave Kader as creative, reflective and ambitious individuals who understand the value of art in the wider world.
Approach
Children are introduced to eight key substantive concepts, often considered the ‘big ideas’ in art: line, tone, colour, pattern, texture, form, shape and space. These concepts underpin our curriculum and are revisited and developed over time.
Our art curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that pupils develop and refine their skills progressively across drawing, painting, printing, sculpture, collage and digital art. Key techniques are revisited and built upon over time, enabling pupils to develop confidence, control and ambition in their work.
Pupils are encouraged to make connections between different techniques and apply these creatively within larger projects, drawing on their understanding of these core concepts. Opportunities for art are planned at least once every other half term, alongside meaningful cross-curricular links that further enrich pupils’ experiences.
The study of diverse artists is central to our curriculum, allowing pupils to explore a wide range of styles, cultures and creative approaches. This broadens their understanding of the art world while helping them to see themselves reflected within it, strengthening their sense of identity and aspiration.
Sketchbooks play a key role in the artistic process, providing a space for pupils to develop ideas, practise techniques and reflect on their learning over time. Through regular opportunities for discussion, critique and reflection, pupils learn to articulate their thinking, justify their choices and learn from one another, building strong relationships through shared creative experiences.
Pupils are given the freedom to experiment with a wide range of materials and media, developing their technical skills while exploring their own creative preferences. Ongoing teacher assessment supports pupils to refine their work and achieve high-quality outcomes.
Outcomes
As a result of our ambitious and inclusive art curriculum, pupils at Kader Academy develop as confident, skilled and reflective artists. They acquire a secure understanding of artistic techniques and processes, applying these with increasing control, creativity and independence.
Pupils are able to generate and develop their own ideas, make purposeful choices about materials and techniques, and evaluate their work using appropriate subject-specific vocabulary. Through discussion and critique, they articulate their thinking clearly, showing respect for others’ ideas and building strong relationships through collaborative learning.
Children develop a strong sense of identity as artists, recognising both their own creative voice and the value of diverse perspectives within art. They demonstrate ambition in striving to improve their work, showing resilience, pride and a commitment to achieving high standards.
Through exposure to a wide range of artists, cultures and styles, pupils develop an appreciation of art as a reflection of society and a means of expression. By the time they leave Kader Academy, pupils are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage with and contribute to the creative world, with a lasting appreciation for the arts.
Artist Journey
At Kader Academy, pupils embark on a carefully planned Artist Journey that introduces them to a wide range of artists from EYFS through to Year 6. This journey exposes pupils to diverse artistic styles, techniques and cultural backgrounds, broadening their understanding of the global art world while raising aspirations and showing what is possible through creativity.
The Artist Journey is integrated with our curriculum’s ‘big ideas’, such as colour, pattern, texture and form, allowing pupils to connect their practical skills with the artistic legacies of influential figures. Through this progression, pupils develop technical skills alongside confidence and ambition, learning to express their own ideas and see themselves as artists, strengthening their sense of identity.
Through shared discussion, reflection and appreciation of different perspectives, pupils build positive relationships and develop respect for the diverse cultures and experiences represented in art. This ensures pupils grow not only as artists, but as thoughtful, ambitious individuals who value creativity and its role in the wider world.
National Curriculum Objectives
KS1
To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products to use drawing, painting and sculpture.
To develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
About the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
KS2
To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
About great artists, architects and designers in history.