Art

We firmly believe that Art is for All. At King James we seek to promote curiosity and imagination in a supportive and nurturing environment, challenging our young artists and designers to respond creatively to their experience of the world.  Our intention is to provide an engaging curriculum taught by highly skilled leaders which is enriched with opportunities outside of lessons or the school environment. 

We teach our students to understand and appreciate the impact of art, craft and design on individuals and cultures of the past, present and future. From year 5 to year 11, students learn about a rich and inclusive diversity of examples of art, craft and design made by expert practitioners.

All our students have Art lessons in specialist Art Rooms. The Art Room is a special place in school and we know that Art plays an important role in the emotional wellbeing of many of our students.  Art Club is a lively and exciting part of the Art Department, providing opportunities to take part in extracurricular art every day and make a positive difference to the school environment by working on collaborative mural projects or Performing Arts events.

It is our aim that students have the opportunity to progress confidently to the next stage of their education with the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm towards a career in the Creative Industries.  

Our Curriculum

Visual literacy and critical thinking skills are key to the academic study of art and design. We feel it is important that our students can discuss and write about visual culture with confidence.  Starting in year 5, we take our students on a journey of discovery and deepening understanding. Our students learn how to talk about art using specific terminology and write analytically about their observations in order to express their own opinions and develop insights into the views of others. 

Making art underpins our curriculum and every lesson involves “making” in some way. Students at King James explore a wide range of 2D and 3D media, including sculpture, ceramics, print-making, painting, drawing and, most importantly, drawing. 

Drawing, much as writing and reading, is a key skill and therefore an essential part of our “Head, Heart and Hand” approach to learning. We teach students how to draw with a wide variety of techniques for many different purposes.

To view a copy of the Art Learning Journey from KS2-4 click here.  

The curriculum for Art and Design at KJAR in KS2 and 3 is based on a model advocated by NSEAD (National Society of Educators in Art and Design) which starts in the Early Years, progresses through KS1 and 2 and on to KS3 concluding at the end of y9.  It is a progression model of teaching, learning and assessment based around a framework of 4 realms of learning that leads logically to KS4 options such as GCSE Art and Design;



To view the Pearson Fine Art GCSE (FA01) curriculum click here.


Assessment in Art


In terms of our King James essential meme, “Head, Heart and Hands”, we build opportunities within the Assessment Objectives so that AO1 corresponds to thinking skills (Head), AO2 corresponds to “Hands” and AO3 to “Heart”.  The model can be visualised as a spiral of learning, with concepts, techniques and knowledge gaining complexity and sophistication as the learner grows from year 5 to year 11. “Making” is central to the learning experience.  Knowledge; “learning about…” or “learning how…” surrounds the whole.  The assessments for each KS3 Art unit are linked below.   A copy of examplar assessments for KS4 can be viewed at the Pearson link given above.



Each year we examine the curriculum for Art critically, update aspects required to meet the needs of our students and plan staff development strategically.