Art & Design
How do we teach Art & Design in the Bursledon Federation?
At Bursledon Federation, our Art curriculum is crafted to ignite imagination and nurture a deep appreciation for creativity, enabling children to explore, interpret and respond to the world around them while developing the confidence and skills to think like artists in a diverse and evolving society. Through practical, exploratory experiences, pupils experiment with a wide range of materials, techniques and artistic processes, discovering the joy of creating and developing their own artistic voice. Oracy is woven throughout our Art teaching to strengthen children’s ability to discuss ideas, reflect on their work and engage in thoughtful artistic dialogue; pupils take part in structured critique, collaborative discussions and reflective conversations that help them speak and reason like artists while ensuring every child’s perspective is valued. Teachers cultivate a supportive, high‑expectations environment where children are encouraged to take creative risks, refine their skills and make informed artistic choices based on observation, imagination and purposeful experimentation. Artistic skills and knowledge are embedded progressively across year groups, with new vocabulary and increasingly sophisticated concepts introduced through direct teaching, modelling and carefully designed knowledge organisers. By the end of Key Stage 2, our children leave Bursledon as confident, expressive learners equipped with the creative skills, critical thinking abilities and visual literacy they need for future education and life beyond primary school, having thoroughly enjoyed Art and feeling inspired to continue creating, exploring and embracing new artistic challenges.
The impact of the Art curriculum at Bursledon will be young people who think creatively, communicate visually and approach the world with curiosity, confidence and a strong sense of artistic identity.
What does a Bursledon Art & Design expert look like?
- Imaginative creator – develops original ideas and explores different ways to express them visually.
- Confident communicator – uses oracy to explain artistic choices, take part in critique and discuss artwork thoughtfully.
- Skilled experimenter – tries a wide range of materials, techniques and tools with increasing confidence.
- Reflective artist – evaluates their work, identifies strengths and improvements, and adapts thoughtfully.
- Art vocabulary user – applies accurate artistic terminology to describe techniques, effects and intentions.
- Curious observer – studies the work of diverse artists and cultures, making connections to their own creations.
- Resilient maker – embraces challenges, learns from mistakes and persists to refine their artistic outcomes.
The Bursledon Art & Design Curriculum
National Curriculum Programme of Study for Art and Design: Click here
EYFS curriculum link: Click here
Art and Design Medium Term planning example: Click here
Art and Design Knowledge Organiser example: Click Here
Infant school overview:
Junior School Overview:
At Bursledon Junior School, our art curriculum is designed to be progressive and inspiring, giving children the opportunity to explore a wide range of artists and develop key skills in painting, printing, watercolours, observational drawing, sculpture, and clay. Through engaging lessons, pupils learn to experiment with materials, sketch and design their own artwork, apply techniques with increasing confidence, and evaluate their final pieces using clear criteria and art-specific vocabulary.
Work Examples
Year 1 Year 2
Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
