Art

At Gordonbrock, we believe every child is an artist. Our art curriculum gives pupils the skills, confidence and creative freedom to explore their own ideas and to develop a genuine appreciation of visual art. Alongside practical skills, we aim to build critical thinking, emotional intelligence and cultural awareness.

Each term has a focus shared across the whole school, from Early Years to Year 6, covering drawing, painting, printing, 3D model-making and sculpture, textiles and collage.

Our curriculum is structured across the year as follows:

• Autumn term: drawing and painting techniques, focusing on portraits, still-life compositions and landscape art.
• Spring term: print-making, 3D model-making and sculpture, textile work and collage techniques.
• Summer term: themed projects inspired by particular artworks or artists, including:
  • Participation in the National Gallery’s Take One Picture initiative, and our own Take One projects:
    • Take One Artist — featuring Yayoi Kusama
    • Take One Book — inspired by Mark Janssen’s illustrated book Dreamer
    • Take One Building — examining architecture as an art form
    • Take One Mind – exploring different ways of creating and experiencing the world

We also maintain strong connections with local artists, giving pupils real-world context for their studies and exposure to a wide range of mediums, techniques and inspirations.

In Early Years and Key Stage 1, pupils have daily opportunities to draw, paint, create collages and build constructions, supported by a wide range of resources so they can explore different mediums and techniques from the start.

From Year 2, every pupil is given a high-quality sketchbook. These become a personal record of each child’s developing skills and their responses to the art they encounter, documenting their individual journey through the visual arts.

Our pupils’ creativity is celebrated throughout the school. Displays and exhibits fill our hallways and shared spaces, recognising our young artists’ achievements and creating an environment that encourages further exploration. Visitors are warmly welcome to explore the school and see this work for themselves.

Charlotte Bradbury, Art Subject Leader