KS2 · Year 4 · National Curriculum Aligned
Year 4 Art & Design Scheme of Work
In Year 4, pupils develop increasing technical skill and artistic independence. They approach each project with a clear process: researching artists, experimenting in sketchbooks, developing ideas and producing resolved final pieces. Pupils are expected to evaluate their work critically and make connections between different areas of the curriculum.
The programme covers still-life painting, sculptural work, portraiture, printmaking and digital art. Pupils explore a rich range of artists and movements, including the Renaissance, Impressionism and contemporary digital art, developing chronological awareness of art history.
At a glance
Units
6 half-term units
Key stage
KS2
Year group
Year 4
NC alignment
Full programmes of study
Expected prior knowledge
- ✓Watercolour and colour mixing skills from Y3 painting unit
- ✓Observational drawing with tonal shading from drawing-with-observation
- ✓Clay and relief sculpture techniques from Y3
- ✓Sketchbook practice and artist research skills from Y3
Units across the year
Six half-term units covering all strands of the KS2 Art & Design programme of study.
Autumn 1Painting
Painting: Still Life
National Curriculum objectives
- –To improve mastery of painting techniques in drawing and paint
- –To know about great artists who worked in the still-life tradition
- –To develop skills in observational painting, including composition and tone
Key activities
- –Studying still-life paintings by Cezanne and discussing composition and colour
- –Arranging and sketching still-life compositions in sketchbooks
- –Colour mixing: creating tertiary colours and matching observed colours
- –Building up a still-life painting in layers, establishing tone and shadow
- –Peer evaluation using artist-quality vocabulary
Key vocabulary
still lifecompositiontoneshadowhighlightCezanneImpressionismtertiary
Autumn 2Sculpture and 3D
Sculpture and 3D
National Curriculum objectives
- –To improve mastery of 3D techniques using a range of materials
- –To know about great sculptors and how they create 3D form
- –To plan, design and make a resolved sculptural piece
Key activities
- –Studying the sculptural work of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth
- –Exploring the relationship between positive space and negative space in sculpture
- –Creating an armature from wire and wrapping with mod-roc or paper mache
- –Adding surface detail and painting the finished sculpture
- –Writing an artist statement about inspiration and process
Key vocabulary
sculpturearmatureformnegative spacepositive spaceMooreHepworth3D
Spring 1Drawing
Drawing: Portraits
National Curriculum objectives
- –To improve mastery of drawing the human face with increasing accuracy and expression
- –To know about portrait artists from different periods
- –To use sketchbooks to develop observational and expressive drawings
Key activities
- –Revisiting proportions of the face with greater accuracy and detail
- –Studying portraits by Rembrandt (classical) and Chuck Close (contemporary)
- –Drawing portraits from life using a partner as subject
- –Experimenting with light source and shadow on the face
- –Producing a final expressive portrait using chosen media
Key vocabulary
portraitproportionexpressionlight sourceshadowchiaroscuroRembrandtClose
Spring 2Printmaking
Printing: Lino-style
National Curriculum objectives
- –To develop mastery in relief printing using a cutting technique
- –To design an image that works as a positive and negative print
- –To know about printmaking as a fine art tradition
Key activities
- –Learning to cut safely using soft lino or Essdee Safety Kut
- –Designing a strong composition with clear light and dark areas
- –Studying the lino cuts of Pablo Picasso and traditional Japanese woodblock prints
- –Inking and printing, exploring multiple colour variations
- –Selecting the best print and mounting for display
Key vocabulary
linoreliefcuttingpositivenegativewoodblockPicassoJapanese print
Summer 1Digital Art
Digital Art
National Curriculum objectives
- –To use digital tools as a medium for creating art
- –To know about artists who use digital technologies
- –To develop an understanding of how digital art relates to traditional art forms
Key activities
- –Exploring digital drawing tools on tablets: brush settings, layers and colour
- –Looking at the digital art of David Hockney (iPad paintings) and Refik Anadol
- –Creating a digital self-portrait or landscape using layered techniques
- –Experimenting with filters, blend modes and colour adjustments
- –Presenting and evaluating digital work as part of a class gallery
Key vocabulary
digitalpixellayerfilterblendHockneyAnadolcomposition
Summer 2Drawing
Sketchbooks: Research and Development
National Curriculum objectives
- –To use sketchbooks as a tool for sustained creative development
- –To demonstrate how a sketchbook can show the journey from initial idea to final piece
- –To evaluate and reflect on a body of work across the year
Key activities
- –Reviewing sketchbooks from the year and identifying strengths and areas to develop
- –Creating an artist-inspired experimental page for each unit studied
- –Writing evaluative notes using art vocabulary
- –Sharing sketchbooks in a peer review session
- –Setting personal targets for Year 5 art development
Key vocabulary
sketchbookevaluatedevelopreflectexperimentprocessintentiontarget
Progression into Year 5
In Year 5, pupils take on increasingly ambitious and extended projects with a stronger emphasis on personal voice and artistic decision-making. They work with greater independence, use sketchbooks as a genuine working tool and begin to make sustained comparisons between their work and that of professional artists.
Individual lesson plans
Full lesson frameworks — learning objectives, vocabulary, lesson structure, and common misconceptions — for each unit in this scheme.
View all Year 4 Art & Design lesson plans →