Art

At Simon de Senlis, your child will access a quality art, craft and design curriculum which will engage, inspire and challenge them. It will equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. The curriculum is focused on children learning to observe the world around them by being taught the skills of observational drawing and collating their ideas in a sketchbook, in readiness to be able to present their ideas creatively and proficiently through the medium of drawing, painting and sculpture.

Our Art Curriculum is made up of four strands: mastery in drawing, painting and sculpture, experience of other additional art forms, illustration of work and development of art appreciation.  Each year children will be taught to master skills in drawing, painting and sculpture through a series of well-planned lessons within progressional units of work. The emphasis on the teaching of sculpture will be mainly through the medium of ceramics; other media used to create sculpture will aid mastery of this art form. The children will be taught to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design by investigating the work of a diverse range of artists, designers, and craftspeople. Through the rigour of the curriculum and by working alongside artists, children will know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, contribute to our culture, creativity, and wealth of the nation.

Children will also be provided with opportunities to experience other additional art forms such as: printmaking, photography, video, textiles, or film making in addition to the planned units of work. These short standalone experiences will be delivered to enhance and broaden the core art curriculum e.g., as part of the annual RSC programme.

Children will use their drawing and painting skills to illustrate pieces of work throughout the curriculum. They will do this as part of the English curriculum three times per year.

During their time in school, children will develop art appreciation by exploring prominent artworks and artists within The National Gallery’s collection. Each year the children will undertake in-depth studies of the life and work of an influential artist and children in Year 4 will work closely with the curators at The National Gallery to develop their art appreciation further.