Art & Design

Year A Overview Year B Overview Art Vocabulary

EYFS Overview Year A Progression Year B Progression

Art is about discovering who we are and imagining what we might become.

At Beech Grove, we believe that every child has the potential to think creatively, express themselves confidently and discover their own unique artistic voice. As the driver subject for our summer term theme, Create, Art and Design provides every child with the opportunity to explore ideas, communicate their thoughts and develop the confidence to create with imagination and purpose. Through our National Curriculum-compliant curriculum, delivered through the AccessArt Pathways, we equip children with the knowledge, skills and confidence to experiment, take creative risks and communicate their ideas through a wide range of artistic disciplines. We believe that art enriches lives, celebrates individuality and helps children see the world—and themselves—in new ways.

Through an ambitious curriculum rooted in the AccessArt philosophy, we teach children to think like artists. They learn that creativity begins with curiosity, grows through exploration and develops through reflection. Using sketchbooks as places for thinking, collecting ideas, experimenting and refining their work, children discover that art is a journey rather than simply a finished product. They explore the work of artists, designers, architects and makers from different times, places and cultures, developing the confidence to ask questions, respond thoughtfully and make increasingly informed creative decisions. We teach children that there is rarely a single "right answer" in art; instead, they learn to value originality, embrace experimentation and understand that every creative response has meaning and worth. This philosophy of exploration, intention and reflection enables every child to develop as an increasingly independent, thoughtful and expressive artist.

Learning is enriched through inspiring creative experiences, opportunities to work collaboratively and individually, and meaningful connections with the world around us. Children regularly work alongside artists from our local community, gaining first-hand insight into creative processes while discovering that art is a living, evolving part of the place in which they live. Whether exploring natural materials, responding to literature, designing for real purposes, creating large-scale collaborative installations or celebrating their work through displays and exhibitions, we foster creativity by giving every child the confidence to experiment, reflect and find their own creative voice. Through these memorable experiences, pupils develop resilience, imagination and pride in their achievements, discovering that art is not simply something they do—it is a way of thinking, communicating and understanding the world.

Through engaging opportunities to create, pupils are enriched by experiences that nurture imagination, resilience and self-expression, gaining the confidence to excel as thoughtful, reflective and creative artists.