ART

Our Vision for Art at St Mary’s

At St Mary’s, we see art not only as a subject but as a means of expression and discovery. Children are encouraged to experiment, to take creative risks and to celebrate individuality in their work. By engaging with a wide range of media, techniques, and artistic influences, pupils develop not only their artistic skills but also their confidence, resilience and appreciation of the world around them.

 

Our Art Curriculum

At St Mary’s, we believe that every child is an artist. Our art curriculum is designed to nurture creativity, imagination, and self-expression, while also providing children with the knowledge and skills they need to develop as confident and reflective young artists. Through a carefully sequenced programme of study, children build skills progressively as they move through the Early Years and Key Stage 1, ensuring both breadth of experience and depth of understanding.

 

Early Years

In the Early Years, we use a skills-based approach that introduces children to the foundations of artistic techniques in a practical, playful and engaging way. Each term focuses on a different medium or process, giving children opportunities to experiment, practise and create.

●        Autumn Term - Printmaking: Children explore texture and pattern by taking rubbings from natural and man-made objects, combining these into pictures, and progressing to object printing and stencil work. The term culminates in a final winter-themed piece that showcases a combination of techniques.

●        Spring Term - Painting and Collage: Children develop brush control, learn about primary and secondary colours, and experiment with tints, shades and textures. Later in the term, they combine collage with mark-making to create layered, mixed-media artworks such as “People Who Help Us” scenes.

●        Summer Term -  Making and Sculpture: The focus shifts to 3D work, beginning with junk modelling and construction, where children explore joining methods and stability, before moving on to sculpture with malleable materials. They learn how to shape, join and add texture to clay or dough, creating animal sculptures inspired by the topic All Creatures Great and Small.

This progression ensures that by the end of Reception, children have a strong foundation in mark-making, painting, collage, construction and sculpture, equipping them for more detailed study in Key Stage 1.

 

Key Stage 1

As children move into Years 1 and 2, they continue to build on their early skills while developing greater control, confidence and knowledge of artistic styles and techniques. Lessons are planned to embed key knowledge alongside practical skills, with opportunities for children to study and be inspired by famous artists, designers and craftspeople.

●        Year 1: Children begin by exploring self-portraits, learning to observe closely and represent facial features with increasing accuracy. They study the expressive paintings of  Vincent van Gogh, experimenting with colour mixing, texture and movement in paint to create their own pieces inspired by his style. Alongside painting, they are introduced to textiles through weaving, where they practise fine motor skills, pattern-making, and an understanding of traditional craft. Throughout the year, children learn to reflect on their work and begin to use artistic vocabulary to describe their choices.

●        Year 2: In their final year at St Mary’s, children extend their skills further through more in-depth artist studies. They explore the bold, patterned work of Yayoi Kusama, creating pieces inspired by her use of dots, repetition and colour. They then investigate the paintings of Jackson Pollock, linking this to create Fabergé egg-inspired designs. Finally, they study the work of William Morris, using observational skills to create still life pieces and patterned designs influenced by his distinctive style. By Year 2, children are encouraged to plan, adapt and refine their artwork more independently, and to make connections between their own creative decisions and the work of other artists.

 

Art Beyond the Curriculum

At St Mary’s, we are passionate about providing children with opportunities to share and celebrate their creativity outside of the classroom. Each year, pupils take part in a variety of local competitions and community events, such as the Frensham Fayre Art Show, the South Street Trust artwork project and the Frensham Scarecrow Festival. These experiences give children the chance to work both individually and collaboratively on larger-scale projects, fostering pride in their achievements and a sense of belonging in the wider community.

In addition, our Headteacher Mrs Allan runs regular internal art competitions and challenges each half term. These are designed to encourage children to explore art and design at home with their families. Past challenges have included photography, painting and drawing, providing children with a wide range of creative opportunities beyond the school curriculum.

 

Assessment and Progression

Throughout the school, teachers carefully track children’s progress, ensuring that skills and knowledge are revisited and embedded over time. Each unit of work is adapted to meet the needs of all learners, with additional support or challenge where required. Children are encouraged to reflect on their work, talk about their creative choices and evaluate their progress.