At Herne CE Junior School, art is a vital part of a child’s education. Through drawing, painting, printing, photography, sculpture and design, pupils learn to explore the world around them, communicate ideas creatively, and develop confidence in their own artistic voice.

Vision statement: Our art curriculum empowers every child to express their identity confidently through creativity, explore diverse artists and cultures, and use meaningful talk to reflect, refine and communicate their ideas with understanding and respect.

Intent

At Herne CE Junior School, we believe that creativity enables children to express themselves, think imaginatively and make personal connections with the world. Our art curriculum provides rich experiences that encourage pupils to explore, develop and create ideas using a wide range of materials, tools and techniques.

We want children to understand that art is not limited to one style, culture, place or period of history. Through carefully chosen artists and designers, pupils encounter traditional, modern and contemporary work, and learn how artists use art to tell stories, represent identity, respond to experiences and communicate with others.

Our curriculum is designed to build pupils’ knowledge of the formal elements of art, including line, shape, colour, texture, tone, space and form. Children are encouraged to take creative risks, practise skills over time, discuss their choices and evaluate how their work can be refined.

Implementation

The content of the art curriculum in Key Stage 2 builds on what children have learned in Key Stage 1. Skills and knowledge are developed progressively across Years 3 to 6, with opportunities to revisit and deepen learning in drawing, painting, printing, photography, sculpture and design.

Each unit begins with a big question to guide enquiry and discussion. Children study a focus artist or designer alongside a comparison artist, helping them to look closely, ask questions and make meaningful connections between different artistic approaches. Examples include Beatrix Potter and Dale Chihuly in botanical art, Andy Goldsworthy and Nnenna Okore in outdoor photography and sculptural forms, Kurt Jackson and Lubaina Himid in seascapes, Andy Warhol and Romare Bearden in printing, Frida Kahlo and Nick Cave in symbolic masks, JMW Turner and Frank Bowling in landscapes, Van Gogh and Alma Thomas in expressive painting, and Barbara Hepworth and Barbara Chase-Riboud in sculpture.

Children use sketchbooks to record observations, practise techniques, gather inspiration, plan their outcomes and revisit ideas. They follow a plan, do, review structure so that art lessons include exploration, making, reflection and refinement. Pupils are taught to use subject-specific vocabulary when discussing their own work and the work of others.

Where possible, learning is enriched through cultural capital opportunities such as visits, local exploration and virtual experiences. These include links to the V&A Museum, Kew Gardens, The Beaney in Canterbury, the National Portrait Gallery, beach trips, woodland photography and typography walks around Herne Bay. These experiences help pupils see art as part of their community and wider world.

Standalone art opportunities are also used to make links with wider curriculum learning, including illustrations inspired by Oliver Jeffers, artwork linked to The Iron Man and Wonder, and perspective drawing. This allows children to apply artistic skills in meaningful contexts across the curriculum.

Diversity in Art

Diversity is central to our art curriculum. We want every child to see that artists come from different cultures, backgrounds, genders, time periods and life experiences, and that all of these perspectives enrich the world of art. Pupils are introduced to artists from Britain and beyond, including American, Nigerian, Australian, Tanzanian, Mexican, Guyanese-born British, Dutch, Spanish and African American artists and designers.

Our curriculum deliberately pairs artists so that children can compare different voices and viewpoints. These comparisons help children understand that art can reflect culture, identity, history, emotion and personal experience.

Through meaningful talk, pupils learn to discuss artworks respectfully, ask thoughtful questions and consider how artists communicate ideas. Children are encouraged to recognise that there is not one single way to be an artist, and that their own identity, interests and experiences can be a powerful starting point for creative work.

We also use art to develop respect and curiosity. Children learn to appreciate work inspired by different traditions, such as Mexican Day of the Dead imagery, botanical art, seascapes, pop art, typography, cubism, abstract landscapes and sculpture inspired by natural forms. This helps pupils develop a wider understanding of the world and the people within it.

Impact

By the time children leave Herne CE Junior School, we want them to have developed a passion for art and creativity. They will have grown in confidence when using a range of tools, materials and techniques, and will be able to apply their skills and knowledge independently and collaboratively.

Children will understand the role of artists and designers and will be able to talk about how different artists use the formal elements of art to communicate meaning. They will be able to evaluate their own work and the work of others with care, using discussion to celebrate strengths and identify next steps.

We measure the impact of art through pupil discussions, sketchbook work, practical outcomes, dialogue between teachers and pupils, and teacher assessment of key strands. Assessment focuses not only on final pieces, but also on the creative process: observing, experimenting, making, reflecting and refining.

Every child is an artist. We aim to give all children the opportunity to appreciate, enjoy and create art so that they can express themselves confidently and believe this too.