Art

At St Charles, we aim to provide a broad and balanced Art curriculum that enables the children to develop their knowledge and skills as they progress through the years. Our curriculum allows the children to explore a variety of techniques and styles used by different artists throughout history and from different cultures. We aim to inspire our children to think creatively and express themselves through their creations.

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.“

 Vincent van Gogh

At our school, Art and Design is a vibrant and inspiring part of the curriculum where knowledge and creativity come together. Following the National Curriculum, children learn about artists, architects, and designers from many times and cultures, building a deep understanding of how art reflects and shapes the world around us.

What Art Looks Like at St Charles

In every classroom, pupils are encouraged to think, behave, and create like artists. They study key artworks and explore techniques such as drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, and collage. Lessons are carefully sequenced so that children develop the knowledge, vocabulary, and technical skills they need to experiment confidently and express their ideas with purpose. Sketchbooks are used across the school to record observations, practise techniques, and reflect on what has been learned.

Art lessons are lively, hands-on, and knowledge-rich. You might find children analysing the work of Van Gogh or Alma Thomas, mixing paint to capture mood and light, or constructing a sculpture inspired by historical or cultural study. Across the school, pupils learn to talk thoughtfully about their work and the work of others, using the language of art to share opinions and make creative choices.

By the time they leave us, children are confident, imaginative artists who appreciate art’s place in history and culture, and who take pride in expressing their individuality through their creative work.

Intent

Our Art and Design curriculum aims to give every child the knowledge, skills, and confidence to understand and express themselves as artists. Through our curriculum, children learn about artists, architects, and designers from different times, places, and cultures, and connect this knowledge to their own creative work.

We intend to ignite a lifelong love of art by giving pupils meaningful opportunities for self-expression and creativity, while developing visual literacy – the ability to look carefully, think critically, and talk about what they see. Our curriculum fulfils and extends the National Curriculum requirements, helping children see how art shapes history, culture, and the world around them.

Implementation

Art and Design is taught as part of a carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum, ensuring pupils gain a solid understanding of artistic techniques, concepts, and vocabulary as they move through school. Lessons focus both on knowing about art (artists, movements, and contexts) and knowing how to make art (through drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, printing, photography, and textiles).

Pupils study key works and movements — from Ancient Greece to the Renaissance, Impressionism, Modernism, and art from a range of faiths and cultures. They learn how artists use elements such as line, form, colour, and composition to communicate ideas. As children progress, they practise and refine these techniques with increasing control and intentionality. Teachers use resources such as knowledge organisers, vocabulary databases, and unit rationales to support learning and ensure continuity across year groups.

Impact

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will have built a secure foundation of art knowledge and practical skill. They will be able to use artistic language confidently, talk about and evaluate the work of significant artists, and apply their understanding in their own creative practice.

Children leave primary school with the ability to think, behave, and create like artists — drawing upon knowledge of technique, history, and visual culture to express their own ideas. They take pride in their artwork and understand art’s importance in human experience and cultural heritage.

Early Years

In the Early Years, children explore mark-making, colour, texture, and form through open-ended creative play. They experiment with different materials and techniques, discovering what happens as they draw, paint, cut, stick, and build. Activities encourage imagination, curiosity, and fine motor development — foundations for later artistic learning. Teachers use vocabulary that helps children describe what they see and do, laying the groundwork for talking and thinking like young artists.

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, pupils begin to learn about well-known artists and art forms, exploring how materials are used to express ideas. They develop their skills in drawing, painting, printing, and collage, experimenting with line, tone, pattern, and colour. Art units are knowledge-rich, helping children make links between artists’ work and their own creative outcomes. Pupils are encouraged to express opinions using developing artistic vocabulary and to take care and pride in their work, understanding that art carries meaning.

Key Stage 2

In Key Stage 2, pupils deepen both their technical skills and cultural knowledge. They study art across history and around the world — analysing artistic styles, movements, and themes such as symbolism, perspective, and abstraction. Children use sketchbooks to plan, test, and refine ideas, applying greater control in tools and techniques. They learn to frame questions about art, evaluate thoughtfully, and reflect critically on their own process. Through this, pupils grow as confident, culturally aware artists ready for secondary study and creative life beyond school.

How You Can Help at Home

Art learning doesn’t stop in school — families can nurture creativity and curiosity at home in simple, enjoyable ways:

• Look at art together. Visit local galleries, public murals, or sculpture trails; talk about what you notice.
• Encourage sketching and observation. Provide simple materials — pencils, crayons, scrap paper — and let children draw what interests them.
• Make and create. Use recycling or natural materials to build, collage, or sculpt at home.
• Discuss colours, shapes, and patterns in everyday life — nature walks, architecture, or clothing.
• Celebrate effort and expression. Talk about what your child enjoyed or learned, rather than perfection, helping them build confidence and pride in their artistic journey.

By sharing creative time at home, you reinforce the curiosity and appreciation for art that the curriculum nurtures at school.