At Churcham Primary School, creativity is at the heart of our curriculum. Through Art & Design and Design & Technology (DT), pupils develop the confidence to explore, experiment, innovate and express themselves. Both subjects are taught through carefully sequenced, high‑quality lessons that nurture curiosity, resilience and reflective thinking.
Our approach ensures that every child — including those with SEND or from disadvantaged backgrounds — is supported to thrive, feel valued, and grow as a creative individual.
We believe that “every child is an artist” and that artistic expression is a powerful tool for personal development.
Our Art curriculum aims to ensure pupils:
Develop artistic skills across a wide range of mediums
Think critically by analysing and critiquing artworks
Appreciate diverse artistic traditions, cultures and perspectives
Express themselves creatively and emotionally
Build resilience, confidence and curiosity through high‑quality teaching
Every child’s creative journey is nurtured and celebrated — because confident artists come in many forms.
Art is taught weekly for three terms of the year, alternating with DT, using our adapted Kapow Primary scheme. Lessons are practical, exploratory and hands‑on, with pupils using sketchbooks, mixed media and a wide range of materials.
Key features include:
Knowledge organisers to support vocabulary, recall and key concepts
Kapow specialist videos to model techniques
CPD videos for staff to strengthen subject knowledge
Cross‑curricular links (e.g., ratio in maths when mixing colours, imagination in English storytelling, artists linked to history topics)
Spiral curriculum revisiting skills with increasing complexity
Adaptive teaching including Widgit resources, pre‑teaching, chunked instruction, peer support and modelling
Non‑negotiables such as high‑quality terminology, self‑assessment, formative feedback and exposure to diverse artists
Our Art curriculum ensures pupils can confidently discuss their learning, evaluate their work and understand how to improve.
Impact is monitored through:
Sketchbook looks
Lesson drop‑ins and observations
Pupil voice
Summative assessment spreadsheets tracking ARE and GDS
By the end of KS2, pupils leave Churcham equipped with strong artistic foundations, creativity and confidence.
We believe that “every child is capable of being a designer through passion, exploration and the guidance of motivated teachers who model creativity and curiosity.”
DT at Churcham develops pupils as innovative thinkers who can design, make and evaluate with purpose. Our curriculum ensures pupils:
Take risks through drafting, modelling and testing
Think critically by analysing their own work and the work of others
Understand the impact of design and technology on everyday life
Become resourceful, resilient and reflective
Build confidence through real‑world, meaningful projects
Every child’s DT journey is nurtured and celebrated — because confident designers come in many forms.
DT is taught weekly for three terms of the year, alternating with Art, using our adapted Kapow Primary scheme. Lessons follow the design cycle of ideation → creation → evaluation, ensuring consistency and progression.
Key features include:
Hands‑on, practical learning including independent, paired and group tasks
Knowledge organisers to support recall and vocabulary
Kapow specialist videos modelling techniques
CPD videos for staff
Cross‑curricular links (e.g., measuring in maths, materials in science, creativity in art)
Cooking & nutrition taught as a dedicated strand focusing on diet, seasonality and food origins
Spiral curriculum revisiting design processes with increasing complexity
Adaptive teaching including Widgit resources, chunked instruction, pre‑teaching, modelling and targeted support
Non‑negotiables such as high‑quality terminology, self‑assessment, formative feedback and consistent modelling
Our DT curriculum ensures pupils can evaluate their outcomes, articulate their design choices and understand how to improve.
Impact is monitored through:
Book looks
Lesson drop‑ins and observations
Pupil voice
Summative assessment spreadsheets tracking ARE and GDS
By the end of KS2, pupils leave Churcham equipped with a strong foundation of techniques, creativity and confidence to continue their DT learning beyond primary school.
Together, Art and DT provide pupils with:
Opportunities to express themselves
Skills to solve problems creatively
Confidence to take risks
Resilience through iterative improvement
Cultural and real‑world understanding
A sense of pride in their creations
These subjects play a vital role in developing well‑rounded, reflective and imaginative learners.