Art and Design

Curriculum Intent – Art and Design 

 “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” - Pablo Picasso 

Powerful Knowledge

At Leeds East Academy we teach a skills-based art curriculum, which allows students to express their creative imagination as well as providing them with opportunities to practise and develop mastery in the key processes of art: drawing, painting, printing, photography, craft and graphic design. In the art department students will develop their understanding of the visual language of art with effective teaching and carefully thought out sequences of lessons and experiences.  

Powerful knowledge in Art and Design: 

• Understand and investigate the unique qualities of different art materials and processes and being able to exploit these within practical work.
• Pupils are encouraged to use their imagination through a wide variety of media and manipulative skills are developed as well as an awareness of colour, texture, design and dimension.  
• Developing the use of visual language by seeing, understanding, questioning, practising and mastery.
• Develop an understanding of the main Art movements and theories through making connections with different historical, contemporary and cultural events.  
• Develop confidence in oral language and critical thinking skills through analysing and expressing opinions using artistic terminology and vocabulary. 
• Create and evaluate artwork as set out in the National Curriculum and so will enable the children to reach and exceed their potential. 

Curriculum Features

We have designed our curriculum in such a way that it inspires a deep passion for art which encourages personal expression through imaginative and creative opportunities, students continually revisit a broad range of skills, and build upon them each year, tackling increasingly challenging concepts. As each step in a learning journey develops, it incorporates a deeper understanding of prior learning. At the heart of our curriculum design is increasing levels of challenge, risk taking and unpredictable outcomes that require a deep level of understanding and the ability to think creatively and demonstrate resilience to overcome obstacles. Year on year, our curriculum introduces every member of our school community to a wide range of art and artists, including those from different periods and cultures. This in turn allows us to build on the cultural capital of our students and creates world citizens, with an understanding of how art impacts and enhances societies and our surroundings. Embedded in our curriculum is the exploration of the work of other artists and designers from a vast spectrum of backgrounds, genders, ethnicities and beliefs. This journey gives our students a voice with which to express their thoughts, feelings about and responses to the world around them and enables our students to achieve their full potential. KS4 students can opt for GCSE Art, Craft and Design or GCSE Art, Design Graphics. Students are set personalised projects in both GCSE options to maximise engagement. 

 Cross Curricular & Wider Experiences

To further develop the art curriculum we seek to develop in our students a love and passion for art that enables them to connect spiritually, emotionally and culturally with the world we live in. The Art and Design, Performing Arts and PE departments were lucky enough to be one of the eight only Yorkshire schools chosen to work collaboratively with a four-year cross curricular project funded by Burberry. Burberry aims to use the arts to enhance educational experience and outcomes for pupils. This programme allows our students to work with four creative partners; The Hepworth Gallery; Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Young Film and Northern Ballet. This years inspired programme and has had weekly residence projects in the academy, bringing in a range of specialists artists from the Hepworth Gallery and this has seen students engaging with printmaking and 3D sculptures. Last year students worked with Northern ballet and engaged with not only dance activities but stage set production. The full culmination of work was hosted at Leeds city Museum with a performance across the genres of the arts, as well as exhibitions of the work produced by our students. Students are encouraged to develop their literacy and oracy through discussion and debate as part of these experiences. We have strong links with Leeds Arts University who in the holidays and after school offer free art courses for our students to attend. This opportunity increases knowledge of the different creative careers and what life is like as a student at a specialist arts university. The department offers after school art clubs and particularly encourages KS4 Art students to attend so that they can work on their personal projects.