At Oakridge School, we believe that Art is an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Art gives children the opportunity to express their ideas, imagination and emotions, while developing confidence, creativity and independence. Through drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, design and making, pupils learn to explore the world around them and communicate their own responses in creative and personal ways.

Our Art curriculum is carefully sequenced from Year 1 to Year 6 and is supported by the AccessArt scheme. This enables pupils to build their artistic knowledge, skills and confidence over time, while experiencing a wide range of materials, techniques and creative processes. Children are encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, reflect on their work and understand that there is not always one “right” answer in Art.

Each unit is shaped by a Big Question, which helps pupils think deeply about the purpose of their artwork and make meaningful links between Art, themselves and the wider world. These questions encourage children to explore ideas such as identity, culture, community, the environment, storytelling, design and creativity. For example, pupils consider questions such as: Where can we find spirals in nature and how can we use them in our art?, How can looking closely at nature help us make art that shows why our environment is special and worth looking after?, and How can art help everyone in a community feel seen, heard and represented?

Alongside each Big Question, pupils are taught key Golden Nuggets of knowledge. These identify the most important knowledge, skills and concepts children need to remember and apply. Golden Nuggets help pupils understand how artists work, how different materials and techniques can be used, and how creative choices communicate meaning. For example, children learn that drawing can be both a physical and emotional activity, that artists can use colour, line, shape and composition to tell stories, and that 2D drawings can be transformed into 3D forms

Art at Oakridge is also linked to our wider curriculum threads, including Culture and Society, Equality and Diversity, Environment, Technology and Progress, Democracy, and Social Mobility and Aspirations. These threads help pupils understand that Art can tell stories, represent identity, celebrate communities, explore the natural world and imagine better futures.

Sketchbooks are an important part of our Art curriculum. They give pupils a space to collect ideas, practise techniques, experiment with materials, reflect on their learning and develop their own creative voice. We value the process of making art as much as the final outcome, encouraging pupils to see themselves as artists who can explore, adapt and improve their ideas over time.

We celebrate children’s creativity by displaying their artwork across the school and providing opportunities for pupils to share and talk about their work. Through Art, we want pupils at Oakridge to become confident, imaginative and reflective learners who appreciate the work of artists from different backgrounds and feel proud of their own creative achievements.