Art & Design
It is our ambition to develop students’ ability to think imaginatively and creatively, equipping them with the skills to communicate visually in a range of materials and processes. We provide an inclusive curriculum for Art and Design which aims to realise the full creative potential of all students to become independent creative practitioners. The art curriculum develops core practical skills, critical understanding of the context and meaning of artworks, and an understanding of how to read and use visual language. We aim to equip all students with the cultural capital to appreciate human creativity and achievement.
Our exciting and diverse curriculum in Key Stage 3 is designed to build upon Key Stage 2 and provides a strong foundation for all students, regardless of experiences of art in Year 6. To address any misconceptions or gaps in knowledge, we start Year7 with a skills-based scheme of learning which has a clear focus on the formal elements of art. This allows all students to gain an understanding of the basic principles of art and design. In Year 7 and Year 8, students have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of 2D and 3D materials, concepts and art styles which become increasingly more complex.
Our curriculum in KS3 aims to develop observational research and development of ideas. We engage students in the process of designing and making art, and use a variety of art techniques and processes when developing ideas. These techniques include a range of drawing techniques using different media and methods such as pencil, ink, charcoal, oil pastel, chalk pastel and range of print methods i.e., polyprint, monoprint, lino printing, dry point, and collagraph. In addition, students explore a range of painting methods including watercolour and acrylic alongside a range of sculpture and relief methods such as collage, clay construction, and casting. Students are encouraged to develop and reflect on their work, communicating the development of their ideas using annotation, sketches, plans, modelling, and sample art pieces. Students are also encouraged to make informed decisions about the development of their own art, allowing students to refine and develop outcomes to the best standard possible.
“A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others.”
In Key Stage 4 students begin the GCSE AQA Fine Art course by completing a series of skills-based projects which include drawing, printmaking, and painting. These projects serve to equip students with a basic toolbox of skills which they can use, develop, and refine in subsequent projects. Within these projects, they learn how to explore and respond to the work of other artists, record from observation and learn how to annotate and present their work.
As a department we operate an open-door policy at break and lunchtimes for students in all year groups (years 7-11) to pursue extracurricular art. Students can explore their own ideas to create their own independent artworks, discuss class work and homework with their teacher. and receive one to one support if necessary. Key Stage 3 clubs are open to years 7, 8 and 9 and follow different projects throughout the year.