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Art and design: Key stage 2

Our KS2 Art and Design scheme of work provides full national curriculum coverage for Years 3 to 6, supporting pupils to become confident artists.

Two primary school pupils in navy blue uniforms are engaged in an art activity, carefully painting on paper. They are smiling and focused, using fine brushes and a palette of paints. The table is covered with art supplies, including water pots, paintbrush holders, and sponges. The background features a bright classroom with large windows and blue storage units.

Units

In Key stage 2, pupils build skills and knowledge across four key areas: Drawing, Painting and Mixed Media, Sculpture and 3D, and Craft and Design. Each unit follows a structured sequence of lessons to develop artistic understanding and technical skill. We recommend starting each year with Drawing, but other units can be taught in any order, as progression is planned across year groups and key stages.

Year 3

Drawing: Developing drawing skills

Drawing: Developing drawing skills

Developing shading skills and drawing techniques to create botanical-inspired digital drawings.

(6 lessons)

Painting and mixed media: Exploring texture with paint and collage

Painting and mixed media: Exploring texture with paint and collage

Creating textures with paint and exploring collage through the work of Romare Bearden.

(5 lessons)

Sculpture and 3D: Abstract shape and space

Sculpture and 3D: Abstract shape and space

Transforming 2D card shapes into 3D structures and sculptures; exploring abstract shapes and space, developing skills in constructing 3D objects, and understanding the difference between 2D and 3D art.

(5 lessons)

Craft and design: Ancient Egyptian scrolls

Craft and design: Ancient Egyptian scrolls

Understanding and applying the styles, patterns and techniques of Ancient Egyptian art through lessons that include designing scrolls, making paper, and creating contemporary responses using zines.

(5 lessons)

Year 4

Drawing: Exploring tone, texture and proportion

Drawing: Exploring tone, texture and proportion

Exploring tone, texture and proportion to create realistic and expressive drawings, inspired by artists Sarah Graham, Nicola McBride and Beatriz Milhazes.

(6 lessons)

Painting and mixed media: Light and dark

Painting and mixed media: Light and dark

Investigating the use of tone in art through studying how artists use highlights, midtones and shadows to create the illusion of form.

(5 lessons)

Sculpture and 3D: Mega materials

Sculpture and 3D: Mega materials

Exploring how different materials can be shaped and joined and learning about techniques used by artists as diverse as Barbara Hepworth and Sokari Douglas-Camp, children create their own sculptures.

(5 lessons)

Craft and design: Fabric of nature

Craft and design: Fabric of nature

Using the flora and fauna of tropical rainforests as a starting point, children develop drawings through experimentation and textile-based techniques to design a repeating pattern suitable for fabric.

(5 lessons)

Year 5

Drawing: Depth, emotion and movement

Drawing: Depth, emotion and movement

Investigating how drawing can express emotion, movement and depth, inspired by the work of Charlie Mackesy and Elizabeth Catlett.

(6 lessons)

Painting and mixed-media: Expressive portraits

Painting and mixed-media: Expressive portraits

Exploring how artists use self-portraits to communicate identity, experimenting with words, symbolism, expressive painting and monoprinting before combining techniques in a final mixed-media self-portrait.

(5 lessons)

Sculpture and 3D: Interactive installation

Sculpture and 3D: Interactive installation

Exploring how artists use space, scale and materials to create installation art that conveys ideas, transforms spaces and shapes the viewer’s experience.

(5 lessons)

Craft and design: Architecture

Craft and design: Architecture

Investigating the built environment through drawing and printmaking, learning about the work of architect Zaha Hadid, creatively presenting research on artist Hundertwasser and exploring the symbolism of monument design.

(5 lessons)

Year 6

Drawing: Expressing ideas

Drawing: Expressing ideas

Exploring how drawing can be used to express ideas and messages, inspired by a range of street art examples and environmental themes.

(6 lessons)

Painting and mixed media: World in watercolour

Painting and mixed media: World in watercolour

Exploring artists' use of watercolour, developing watercolour techniques through sketchbook studies and applying these skills in an abstract final painting.

(5 lessons)

Sculpture and 3D: Making memories

Sculpture and 3D: Making memories

Creating a personal memory box using a collection of found objects and hand-sculptured forms, reflecting primary school life with symbolic and personal meaning.

(5 lessons)

Craft and design: Photo opportunity

Craft and design: Photo opportunity

Developing photography skills and techniques to design a range of creative photographic outcomes.

(5 lessons)

Browse related collections

A handy document mapping the National curriculum end-of-key-stage objectives to the Kapow Art and design scheme, showing coverage of the National curriculum through Kapow's units.

Art and designAll years

Art and design: National curriculum coverage

This document maps the National curriculum end of key stage objectives to the Kapow Primary Art and design scheme.

Condensed plans

The front cover thumbnail image of the Art and design progression of knowledge and skills document featuring a paintbrush and palette symbol on an orange background.

Art and designAll years

Art and design: Progression of skills and knowledge

A document outlining how knowledge and skills progress through Kapow Primary's Art and design curriculum.

Progression of skills and knowledge

The first page of the Art and design assessment spreadsheet, used to record teacher assessments for each lesson, helping to keep track of pupils' progress and analyse any gaps in learning.

Art and designYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6

Art and design: Assessment spreadsheet

Record teacher assessments for each lesson directly in this easy-to-use assessment spreadsheet to effectively track pupils' Art and design progress and identify any gaps in learning.

Condensed plans

Our subjects

Art and design

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