At Basildon Lower Academy, Art provides students with opportunities to explore, experiment, refine and communicate ideas through a broad and ambitious creative curriculum. We believe that Art enables students to develop creativity, confidence, resilience and independent thinking whilst gaining an understanding of the visual world around them. Through the study of artists, designers, craftspeople and cultural traditions, students learn how art can be used to communicate ideas, tell stories, challenge perceptions and express identity.  

The Art curriculum takes students on a journey from exploration to independence, developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to observe, investigate, experiment, refine and communicate ideas visually. Students begin in Year 7 by exploring the formal elements of art, observational drawing, colour theory, printmaking, mixed media and graphic design. In Year 8, students refine their technical skills through portraiture, cultural studies, pattern design and sculpture while developing greater confidence in expressing personal ideas. By Year 9, students build creative independence through typography, watercolour portraiture, painting and a GCSE-style personal project, enabling them to research, experiment and create increasingly personal and meaningful outcomes.  

Students are encouraged to take creative risks within a supportive environment where individuality, curiosity and effort are valued. The curriculum promotes creativity, resilience, confidence, reflection, respect and independence whilst helping students build cultural capital through the study of artists including Van Gogh, Monet, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Jim Dine, Françoise Nielly, John Stezaker, Luke Dixon, Sean Williams, Agnes Cecile, Sarah Graham and Jeff Koons. Students also explore careers in the creative industries including fine art, illustration, graphic design, architecture, animation, photography, fashion, product design and advertising. Literacy is developed through artist research, written analysis, annotation, evaluation and subject-specific vocabulary. Numeracy is developed through proportion, scale, measurement, symmetry, perspective, pattern, composition and spatial awareness.

Art is taught through a carefully sequenced curriculum that combines practical exploration, teacher modelling, artist research, discussion, evaluation and reflection. Students learn through drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, typography, sculpture and personal investigation, allowing them to develop both technical proficiency and creative confidence. Sketchbooks are used as working portfolios where students record observations, develop ideas, experiment with materials and reflect on their progress.  

Progress is secured through a curriculum that revisits and builds upon prior learning. Students move from mastering the formal elements and observational skills in Year 7, to refining techniques and developing creative expression in Year 8, before applying their knowledge independently through increasingly sophisticated and personal outcomes in Year 9. Teachers use retrieval activities, artist analysis, guided practice and independent application to ensure students know more, remember more and can do more over time.  

Formative assessment is embedded throughout lessons through questioning, teacher observation, self-assessment, peer assessment, sketchbook reviews and reflective annotation. Learning is scaffolded through teacher demonstrations, visual exemplars, step-by-step modelling, vocabulary support, structured success criteria and differentiated resources. Students receive regular verbal and written feedback which enables them to refine techniques, improve outcomes and develop confidence as independent artists. The use of WWW and EBI reflections encourages students to identify strengths, next steps and areas for further development.  

Success in Art means every student is actively engaged, willing to experiment, confident in developing ideas and proud of the work they produce. Students demonstrate the ability to observe, investigate, refine and create whilst applying technical and creative skills with increasing independence. They develop an understanding of how artists and designers communicate ideas and are able to use visual language to express their own thoughts, experiences and identities.  

Art supports lifelong learning by developing creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, resilience and independence. These transferable skills prepare students for further education, future employment and participation in an increasingly visual and creative world, whilst fostering a lifelong appreciation of art, craft and design.