Art and Design

The fundamental purpose of the department is to foster a love of all forms of visual art and to promote an independence in both curiosity and artistic style for all of our pupils.

Our curriculum reflects this as greater autonomy in both materials and content and is gradually introduced throughout Key Stage 3. This affords our pupils greater choice, individuality and confidence in Key Stages 4 and 5. Our KS3 topics contain elements of different disciplines of art including Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Photography and others. The curriculum is designed to provide a visual understanding of these art forms and so open them up to students as valid and meaningful future pathways.

Curriculum

Topics taught in Key Stage 3 begin with the necessary building blocks of formal artistic understanding such as; colour theory and tonal techniques. These essential areas of knowledge underpin our ability to then introduce more conceptual and complex topics in subsequent years such as ‘Art with a Meaning’ and ‘Pop Art’ (which is designed to fully introduce the intrinsic relationship between art movements and history).

At GCSE and A Level, pupils choose their own areas of interest to pursue. They are supported by a loose starting point of ‘Structures’ in their Year 10 initial project, before creating an Own Choice coursework project.

Both GCSE and A Level have an externally examined paper that provides multiple possible starting points for pupils to choose. These exam papers are then followed as projects that culminate in an exam. The examination board is AQA for both courses.

Our overarching curriculum design is sequenced through the 3 key stages to build skill, understanding and a confidence to make creative choices. These strengths not only make our pupils competitive at Higher Educational Art Institutions but also make them more visually intelligent and aware of the world around them.

Core skills such as reading and literacy, numeracy and careers are embedded throughout the curriculum.

The subject visually and conceptually feeds into the wider whole school curriculum, providing our pupils with extended opportunities to consider;

  • Their own identity
  • Their place in society
  • The world around them
  • Their skills and future lives

Approaches to Learning and Assessment

In Art we aim to develop pupils’ resilience and ability to advance through problem solving skills. Pupils are shown key skills and ideas but are encouraged to work through their own projects and ideas independently so as to develop better as individual artists.

The Department’s approach to teaching and learning follows a tutorial style in Key Stage 4 and 5 with formative assessments delivered through ongoing feedback. Formal feedback sheets are given at intervals and all major projects have a summative assessment and feedback sheet.

Supporting Individual Students

Pupils with specific needs are supported in a variety of ways including modelling, scaffolded learning, exemplar visual and written work, staggered demonstration and other specific resources as required.

Lessons contain extension opportunities designed to extend and challenge as standard. Further suggestions of activities to add greater depth and breadth to our core learning are given to all Key Stage 3 pupils in the front of their yearly sketchbooks.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

Extra-curricular Learning exists in the form of art based trips to major galleries and museums in Year 10, 11, 12 and 13. Art based competitions also run in-house and are co-ordinated with the local Rotary organisation.

Please see our online gallery to celebrate our pupils’ creations.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Map

(click the links below for more information)

Year 7 Typography Colour Theory Colour Landscapes Minibeasts Identity
Year 8 Art with a Message Micro Macro Micro Macro Continues Tones and Techniques Photomontage
Year 9 Pop Art  Pop Art continues Experimental Drawing Street Art