Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
Intent
At Samlesbury CE Primary School, we know that every child has been blessed with unique gifts. Our Art and Design curriculum allows them to explore those gifts through creativity, imagination, and expression, giving them the confidence to let their light shine now and in the future.
Through the AccessArt scheme, we aim to nurture pupils’ curiosity, inspire their creativity, and help them develop confidence in their artistic abilities. Children are encouraged to experiment with ideas, materials, and techniques, while also developing resilience through reflection and refinement of their work.
We want children to:
- Develop skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, collage, textiles and digital art.
- Gain knowledge of artists, designers, and makers across different times and cultures.
- Express their individuality and ideas in visual form.
- See creativity as a lifelong tool that enriches their own lives and positively impacts others.
Our intent is that children leave our school not only with strong foundations in artistic skills but also with a love for creativity that helps them flourish in school, in their communities, and in the wider world.
Implementation
At Samlesbury CE Primary School, our Art and Design curriculum is carefully structured to follow the National Curriculum while providing an exciting, rich, and forward-thinking visual arts education that children enjoy and look forward to.
The AccessArt scheme equips staff with the tools and confidence to deliver high-quality teaching across the school, while also offering the flexibility to adapt units to reflect class topics and children’s own interests. Lessons are practical, engaging, and accessible for all pupils, offering a rich balance of skills, knowledge, and creative exploration.
Our curriculum is planned to ensure clear progression, with units sequenced to revisit and build on key skills with increasing depth, creating a spiral curriculum that develops confidence over time.
Lessons are taught weekly for one half-term each term and make use of a variety of strategies including: generating ideas, developing practical skills, using sketchbooks effectively, making skills (covering the formal elements of art such as line, shape, tone, texture, pattern and colour), studying artists and designers, and evaluating their own and others’ work. This ensures children have dedicated time to immerse themselves in creative exploration, with sketchbooks used to document their journey of experimentation, reflection, and growth.
Our lessons also encourage exploration and choice, giving pupils the opportunity to experiment with a wide variety of media, techniques, and tools. In doing so, they are empowered to make independent decisions, express their individuality, and grow as confident young artists.
AccessArt provides high-quality resources and CPD materials to support staff, ensuring confident teaching and secure subject knowledge. Through this approach, we ensure that every child is able to express their individuality, shine their light through creativity, and develop artistic skills that will enrich their learning journey across the curriculum and beyond.
Impact
At Samlesbury CE Primary School, we continually evaluate the impact of our Design and Technology curriculum, making sure each child is supported to make progress. Teachers use both formative and summative assessment to track progress, and children’s progress is reported to parents through annual reports and mid-year data entries. Where children need extra support or further challenge, the subject leader works closely with staff to ensure every pupil can achieve their full potential. Assessment is ongoing, with teachers using observation, discussion, and outcomes to identify progress and next steps. Children are encouraged to talk about their creative journey, developing metacognitive skills and the ability to evaluate and improve their work.
The impact of our Art and Design curriculum is that children grow into confident, reflective, and creative individuals who value their own ideas and respect the creativity of others.
Through this carefully designed and well-sequenced curriculum, when children leave our school, they will be able to:
- produce imaginative and creative work, exploring and recording their ideas and experiences.
- demonstrate proficiency in a wide range of artistic techniques.
- use subject-specific language to discuss, analyse, and evaluate art.
- appreciate the work of artists and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of art.
- meet the expectations of the National Curriculum for Art and Design.