The curriculum fulfils the requirements of the National Curriculum for England. This course of study seeks to show how art shapes our history and contributes to our national culture. It looks at  key movements and historical periods including, studying art from ancient Greece and Rome, Anglo Saxon England, the Italian Renaissance, Victorian art and architecture, French Impressionism and 20th century Modernism as well as art relating to different religions and cultures such as Islamic art, art from Western Africa and Chinese painting and ceramics.

Rationale and Coverage

We want our children to understand what it is to be an artist. Children make connections between their own ideas and work and that of artists, architects and designers. Our curriculum ensures that our children can make connections across the curriculum: ideas such as symmetry are revisited from maths; light and shadow from science; knowledge of place in geography through London architecture; and knowledge of Greek mythology in history and how this is represented in art.

Children need to use art as a medium for self-expression.

We want children to love art and be able to express themselves through drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, collage, photography and textiles.

We want children to know that works of art can tell us about the past, how a portrait can communicate things about the people in it and how a painter can represent themselves through art.

As a Catholic school, we recognise and celebrate the role of art in religious representation. Our units include the study of St Paul’s Cathedral; lessons focusing on the painting of The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci; and the creation of icons such as those which originated in the byzantine period. These examples are still used for prayer and reflection today and continue to inspire us.

It is also essential that our art curriculum reflects our diverse school. Our curriculum relates to different religions and cultures such as Islamic art, art from Western Africa and Chinese painting and ceramics.

When children leave our school, we want them to have an extensive knowledge of art and artists; a confidence to be creative and express themselves; and strong visual literacy skills so that they can think and talk about art in the future.