At Tewin Cowper, we believe that every child is creative. Like the mustard seed in our school vision, small ideas are nurtured so they can grow into confidence, skill and success. Through our Art and Design curriculum, children are encouraged to believe in their abilities, grow their creative skills, and succeed as thoughtful, confident artists.

We want our pupils to enjoy expressing themselves, exploring the world around them and learning about artists from different cultures and times, while developing skills that will stay with them for life.

What we want children to learn

Our Art and Design curriculum is taught using the Kapow Primary scheme, which provides a rich, inclusive and ambitious curriculum aligned with the National Curriculum and the National Society for Education in Art and Design progression competencies.

We aim to:

• Develop children’s creativity, confidence and curiosity

• Nurture individual talents and interests

• Encourage children to express ideas, thoughts and feelings through art

• Build knowledge of artists, cultures and artistic movements

• Ensure all pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next stage of learning

As an Artsmark partner, Kapow Primary supports our commitment to high-quality arts education, helping children to experience, participate in and enjoy the arts.

How learning happens

Art and Design is taught three times a year from EYFS to Year 6, with one unit per term, alongside additional enrichment opportunities such as art days and cross-curricular projects.

Learning is carefully sequenced and progressive. Children build on prior knowledge through a spiral curriculum, revisiting key skills with increasing challenge as they move through the school.

The curriculum is structured around five key strands:

• Generating ideas

• Using sketchbooks

• Making skills (including line, shape, colour, tone, texture and pattern)

• Knowledge of artists

• Evaluating and analysing

Across each year, pupils explore four main areas:

• Drawing

• Painting and mixed media

• Sculpture and 3D

• Craft and design

Lessons are practical, engaging and inclusive. Children are encouraged to experiment, take creative risks and use sketchbooks to record ideas and reflect on their learning. Clear learning objectives and success criteria support understanding and progress.

Teachers are well-supported through high-quality resources, modelling videos and ongoing professional development, ensuring consistent and confident delivery for all pupils.

What children achieve

Through regular reflection, discussion and evaluation, children learn to talk confidently about their work and understand how to improve it. This supports strong metacognitive skills, resilience and independence.

Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers to identify progress, secure understanding and provide appropriate challenge. Children are supported to achieve well, including opportunities to work at greater depth.

By the time they leave Tewin Cowper, pupils will:

• Produce creative, thoughtful and personal artwork

• Be skilled in drawing, painting, sculpture and design techniques

• Use subject-specific vocabulary to evaluate and discuss art

• Know about significant artists and the cultural and historical context of their work

• Meet or exceed National Curriculum expectations

Most importantly, children leave with the confidence to believe in themselves, the skills to continue growing, and the foundations to succeed in Art and Design at secondary school and beyond.