Art
Art and Design embodies some of the highest forms of creativity and runs through all that we do as human beings. We aim to demonstrate to our students how Art reflects and shapes our history and we aim to engage, inspire, and challenge.
We encourage students to experiment with a wide range of media and ideas equipping them with the knowledge and skill set to be able to invent and create their own personal, artistic response to stimuli.
The curriculum is sequenced to build on and develop previous knowledge and skills with increasing independence and confidence. As students progress, they gain a deeper understanding of how Art shapes the world around them and develop their skills, their ability to think critically and develop a deeper understanding of Art and Design. By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the techniques, skills and processes specified in the programme of study.
We work alongside our Church of England ‘Be Christ’ values to enrich how our student’s experiences. Students demonstrate these values as they progress through the course in various ways:
- Be Courageous: by exploring our own creative ideas to produce innovative Art.
- Being Hard Working: Through hard work and practice students are increasing their proficiency in drawing, also through experimentation and application of techniques, media and materials.
- Being Reflective: Our students critically analyse creative works using the language of art and design and reflect on their own work through their understanding of artists and designers.
- Being Inspirational: Students develop an understanding about great artists, craft makers, designers and creatives and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms. This inspires students in the development of their own work.
- Being Supportive: Students can master skills by teaching to their peers through year 12 and 13.
- Being Tenacious: By recognising that mistakes are integral to improving skills, using a ‘Growth Mindset’.
Key Stage 3
Students develop their creativity and proficiency through a series of projects designed to scaffold upward. This consists of 2 projects which tie in with the 4 assessment objectives in the GCSE mark scheme. The projects and progression are recorded in their sketchbooks.
The students learn three-dimensional drawing, shading, and colour application with an increasingly wide range of materials. This process begins with the theme of OP Art with perspective drawing and shading techniques and then continues with the Cubism and still life project where students advance this understanding to three-dimensional life drawing and shading. This continues to be developed in increasingly more sophisticated ways during year 8 through the drawing of Masks and then applies in increasingly sophisticated ways with the Portraits project.
Students continue to develop their drawing skills across an ever-increasing range of techniques and media in year 9 as they start to draw from an expanding range of objects and their own photographs whereby the work becomes more independent.
Throughout each project, students look at a range of relevant artists and develop an increasing critical understanding of artists and designers that then informs their own work. The critical analysis of artwork is encouraged to become more in depth by using project appropriate critical study prompt sheets. They use this understanding of others work to strengthen and improve the visual impact and applications in their own work.
Key Stage 3 Art Curriculum Map
Key Stage 4
Students work towards GCSE qualifications and cover all GCSE assessment objectives through the ‘Coursework Project’ and through the ‘Externally Set Task’.
The ‘Mini’ project, around the theme of ‘Architecture’ is designed to increase students drawing and critical analysis skill sets before the onset of the GCSE ‘Coursework’/ ‘Externally Set Task’ projects through a series of lessons that focus on improving drawing skills and improving techniques and media application while improving the ability to critical analyse the work of other artists.
The coursework project guides students through the GCSE assessment objectives while they gain the increasing knowledge, skills, and confidence to make their own choices about their work so that it is increasingly independent and personal.
The students have a choice of 3 projects ‘Vintage’, ‘Patterns in Nature’ and ‘Urban’ which cover a range of student interests. Students manipulate these projects to their own vision using a choice of artists and their own choice of outcome.
The ‘Externally Set Task’ is a series of project titles set by the exam board. The students are guided by the teacher who, through a series of lessons facilitates student independent design choices, artistic references, techniques, materials, and media. Students' skills continue to improve during this time though reflection, feedback, and demonstrations.
Key Stage 5
A Level Art & Design: Fine Art
The ‘Mini’ project based around the theme of ‘Structures’ quickly increases students multi-media drawing and critical analysis skill sets before the onset of the A Level ‘Coursework’ and ‘Externally Set Task’ projects through a series of lessons. The projects focus is on improving drawing skills and improving techniques and media application while referring to and improving the ability to critically analyse the work of other artists. The students demonstrate an increased level of independence from the outset, selecting which area of ‘Structures’ theme they wish to look at and by researching and selecting their own choice of artists, techniques, media and materials.
The student led coursework project enables students to gain the increasing knowledge, skills to make ever more informed, creative, and confident choices.
Students are increasingly confident and experimental and receive in depth 1-1 demonstrations and feedback to progress their work and ideas through the analysis of the work of other artists.
Students also write a 3000-word personal study. The essay ties in with the ‘Coursework Project’ and reflects areas of work that the student is looking to develop. The essay is guided through the use of essay structure plans, 1-1 discussions and feedback as well as an in-depth process of teacher/student written feedback and amendments cycles.
This prepares students thoroughly for the ‘Externally Set Task which is a series of project titles set by the exam board. The students are guided by the teacher who, through a series of lessons facilitates student independent design choices, artistic references, techniques, materials, and media. Students' skills should continue to improve during this time though reflection, feedback, and demonstrations.
A Level Art & Design: Photography
The ‘Foundation’ project is based around the theme of basic Photography Techniques and focuses on the functions of a DSLR camera. Students focus on learning skills such as composition, depth of field, shutter speed, and aperture and are given activities to help them understand and apply these to their work. The students research and explore photographers and critical analysis the artist’s work.
The projects focus is on improving photography skills and the students experiment with digital and physical manipulation to develop a personal response.
The ‘portfolio project’ enables students to gain the increasing knowledge, skills to make informed, creative, and confident choices.
Students are increasingly confident and experimental and receive in depth 1-1 demonstrations and feedback to progress their work and ideas through the analysis of the work of other artists.
Students also write a 3000-word personal study. The essay ties in with the ‘Coursework Project’ and reflects areas of work that the student is looking to develop. The essay is guided by using essay structure plans, 1-1 discussions and feedback as well as an in-depth process of teacher/student written feedback and amendments cycles.
This prepares students thoroughly for the ‘Externally Set Task’ which is a series of project titles set by the exam board. The students are guided by the teacher who, through a series of lessons facilitates student independent design choices, artistic references, techniques, materials, and media. Students' skills should continue to improve during this time though reflection, feedback, and demonstrations.
Throughout the course there are opportunities for students to visit London, Local galleries, and a residential trip abroad.