Art & Design at Rushmore
Art and Design lead: Ms Solomou
“Art is as natural as sunshine and as vital as nourishment.” - MaryAnn F.Kohl
At Rushmore, every child is given the opportunity to discover and develop their love of art. Through designing beautiful creations, experimenting with a wide range of materials and techniques and producing their own unique masterpieces. Children are encouraged to evaluate both their own work and that of others, developing the language and skills to express their ideas clearly and thoughtfully.
“Every child is an artist.” - Pablo Picasso
Throughout the key stages, children learn and develop new skills, using a wide range of materials to support their creativity and self-expression. Our carefully sequenced curriculum ensures that pupils build their artistic knowledge, skills and techniques progressively over time. They experiment with and apply a variety of techniques and resources to design and create, exploring colour, pattern, texture, line, shape and space. Through hands-on experiences, children gain confidence in making creative choices and refining their work.
“Children are naturally creative, it is our job to give them the freedom, materials and space to let their creativity blossom to its full potential.” - Jean Van’t Hul
Focus Artists
Alongside practical learning, pupils study the work of a number of diverse artists from around the world. They explore different styles, cultures and periods, comparing similarities and differences with their own creations, and developing the ability to reflect thoughtfully on artistic influences and outcomes.
Sketchbooks
In Years 1 and 2, our young artists are given softback A3 sketchbooks to begin exploring their creativity on a larger scale. In Year 3, our artists are presented with a beautiful hardback A4 sketchbook in which they begin to build a personal portfolio of ideas. These sketchbooks become a vital creative tool used to design, observe, experiment, reflect, revisit ideas and refine their drawing skills. Children continue to build on this body of work as they move through Key Stage 2, bringing their sketchbooks with them each year. This creates a meaningful record of their artistic journey and clearly showcases their creative development over time.
Trips
Beyond the classroom, children enrich their learning and improve their skills through visits to inspiring places such as the Hackney School of Food, as well as local galleries, where they experience creativity in real-world contexts. They also have opportunities to work alongside the community, a range of artists and professionals from the creative industries, broadening their understanding of future pathways and nurturing a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Art Ambassador Agents
Two children from each class are voted in as Art Ambassador Agents. These ambassadors champion art across the school promoting creativity, supporting displays, sharing ideas, helping to organise events and inspiring their peers to take pride in their artistic achievements. Through this leadership role, children develop confidence, responsibility and a strong sense of ownership over the arts within our school community.
“Creativity is Contagious, pass it on.” - Albert Einstein
Artsmark Award
We are currently working towards achieving the Artsmark Award, demonstrating our commitment to providing high-quality arts and cultural education for all pupils. Through this process, we continue to strengthen our creative curriculum, build meaningful partnerships with artists and cultural organisations and ensure the arts remain at the heart of school life.
Working towards Artsmark supports us in reflecting on our provision, celebrating our strengths and identifying further opportunities for growth. Most importantly, it reinforces our dedication to nurturing confident, expressive and inspired young artists.