Merton Bank Primary School

Art and Design

Art and Design Subject Leader – Mrs E McKenna

At Merton Bank Primary School we teach art through focused art skills lessons as well as lessons linked to class learning journeys and class books.

All projects follow a sequence of learning where children first explore one or more artists who will be a source of inspiration for their project, time to annotate their works and discuss how the artwork makes them curious, what it makes them feel, their opinions and their thoughts. Then the lessons progress to learning and experimenting with new skills and art mediums, planning, and then creating a final piece to be self evaluated. 

What do Art and Design lessons look like at Merton Bank?

Art lessons will follow a similar structure across school:

1. Researching and looking at focus artists / focus inspiration.
2. Technical practice of artistic skills linked to work taken from the focus artist / inspiration focus.
3. Practice ideas in sketchbooks / planning.
4. Final piece of artwork.
5. Self / peer evaluation of artwork.

The National Curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Will produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
• Will become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
• Will know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms

Art feedback is given verbally by teachers, teaching assistants and sometimes by peers. When appropriate, some pieces of artwork will have written feedback in the form of next steps.

Assessments are made half termly and are monitored by the subject leader.

Art Enrichment

• Visiting Artist - Gill Taylor

Merton Bank were thrilled to work with artist Gill Taylor who worked with enthusiastic groups of children and Merton Bank's Art Ambassadors to create artwork with the theme of Dreams and Aspirations in the centre of school. Children and staff were involved in writing the words and phrases included on the display and groups of children from Reception to Year 6 took part in workshops to create artwork in a variety of styles and mediums to create the collaborative display. We are so proud of the final outcome which has now inspired children to discuss and write about their own dreams and aspirations! Staff and governors at Merton Bank have high expectations for all of our children, who all deserve to fly!

• Dot Art Competition

We are excited to announce that Merton Bank are entering the Liverpool Dot Art Competition again this year. Last year, the 3 finalists from Merton Bank were invited to St Georges Hall in Liverpool for a special presentation event followed by a private viewing of an exhibition showing the 1st place finalist from each school’s artwork! It was a wonderful event and we are so pleased to be joining this competition again this year thanks to our kind sponsors at Medicash. Three finalists from Merton Bank will be voted for by the general public and those 3 children will be invited to Liverpool for a similar event!

Year 5 children were given the freedom to pick their subject and medium for their entries and attended after school and lunch time clubs to complete their final pieces. Details regarding the voting system and further details will be sent via ParentsApp and on the school Twitter page.

Photographs from Summer 2023 Dot Art Finalists Prize Giving Event and Private Gallery Viewing

Photographs from Spring 2023 - Year 5 children working on their final pieces

• Key Stage 1 Art Family Printing Workshop

We are so proud of yet another beautiful display at Merton Bank created in workshops alongside artist Gill Taylor with the theme of British Values. Children in Key Stage 1 and Key stage 2 worked in small groups to create collaborative art which built up the pieces for this display.