Art
At Prendergast Primary School, our art and design curriculum aims to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. We want our pupils to enjoy art, value expression and creativity, and nurture their individual creativity, enjoyment and artistic aptitude. Our curriculum is broad and inclusive, reflecting the diverse community we serve. It encourages children to develop a critical understanding of how art and design both reflect and shape our history, while contributing to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.
Art learning at Prendergast is carefully planned to build knowledge and skills year by year, systematically identifying gaps and ensuring clear progression across each year group. Children develop increasing proficiency in drawing, painting, sculpture and a range of other art, craft and design techniques, while exploring important artistic concepts such as colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. Lessons encourage children to explore and develop their ideas, record their observations and experiences in sketchbooks, and critically evaluate and analyse creative works.
Children are supported to make meaningful connections across their learning. For example, in Year 3, pupils explore repeated printing patterns in a mosaic style, linking their artistic practice directly to their inquiry topic on how the Romans impacted British life. In Year 6, pupils make links between history and art by mastering ‘mend and make do’ textiles during their study of the Blitz, using their creative skills to reflect on and communicate complex historical contexts. This cross-curricular approach was demonstrated through our Black History Month 2025 project, ‘Power and Pride’. Children across the school explored the legacy of civil rights campaigner Paul Stephenson OBE and the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott, expressing their historical learning through a diverse collection of artwork that culminated in a parent exhibition.
Art is taught through creative and engaging approaches that bring learning to life. Children take part in inquiry-based lessons linked to their half-termly topics, designated art weeks based on unique themes that support a range of learning and creative styles. Teaching is inclusive and adapted to meet the needs of all learners, ensuring that every child feels represented, supported and confident in expressing their ideas, developing their imagination and creating works of art.
