Art & Design
Artistic creation and appreciation have always played a powerful part in people’s lives as a pleasurable activity providing fulfilment through life. People of every culture have found the need to share ideas, opinions and feelings through Art and Design. It provides vital experience in the development of imagination, the ability to think laterally and in understanding the sensory world around us.
Knowledge of the work of artists, designers, and creative thinkers, including those from different traditions and times, contributes significantly to developing cultural understanding and enhances learning across the curriculum. It can enable links to be made within the community beyond school.
Art and Design makes pupils aware of their own creative potential through a wide range of artistic experiences offering pupils a unique way of communicating and is a means of developing self-confidence and self-esteem.
Key Stage 3
During Key Stage 3 pupils develop their creative and imaginative skills through sustained planned projects spread over 2 hour lessons, changing themes each term. During these modules, pupils are expected to build on and improve their practical and critical skills and to extend their knowledge and experience of materials, processes and practices. These include Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Ceramics, 3D, Textiles, Photography and ICT. Classes are introduced to the work of artists from classical and contemporary artists from across the world and throughout time.
All pupils are expected to keep a sketchbook and are encouraged to use this to develop research and observational skills. During Year 9, pupils are introduced to a wider range of materials and media in preparation for Key Stage 4 as well as undergoing a mock GCSE project, allowing them to study in greater depth and over a longer period of time.
Year 7
Tone and Perspective – focusing on monochromatic work and using tone to create depth and 3D shapes, developing into using the mathematical technique of perspective to draw a wide range of drawings using 1 point and 2 point perspective.
Colour – studying the work from a variety of artists, for example Hundertwasser, Mondrian and Henri Matisse by looking at their use of colour and shapes as well as learning about the colour wheel and colour theory with. The students will also get the opportunity to take part in a photography based lesson.
Characters – students will study the process of model making and create their own designs and model from cardboard based on the artist Monami Ohno and her incredible exquisite corpse designs.
Year 8
Art History – studying the different styles of art from a wide range of artists both classical and contemporary, focusing on using a wide range of skills from photography, drawing to painting with acrylics; developing their knowledge of art history and understanding of how it has influenced art over the years.
Patterns – focusing on different patterns and styles from different cultures: African, Indian and Islamic, as well as other pattern formations like zentangles. Students will experiment with alternative techniques like textiles, printing and ceramics.
Optical Art – students will study the art style Optical Art, looking at how to use mathematics within art to trick the eye to create movement and special effects on a 2D surface.
Year 9
Food – students will follow a mini GCSE project based on the theme Food, looking at artists and different techniques, including, painting, drawing and photography to help them to develop their own final outcome at the end of the project.
Portraiture – exploring both classical and contemporary styles of portraiture from throughout history whilst learning how to accurately draw a portrait and explore different styles and techniques of drawing a portrait.
Masks – students will study both the cultural significance of Masks from across the world whilst developing and designing their own masks made from cardboard and clay.
Pupils are continuously assessed throughout each module according to the National Curriculum requirements and awarded a level and grade for effort closely linked to the GCSE grading. Progress is closely monitored against differentiated learning objectives, and these are recorded on an end-of-module summative assessment sheet.
Pupils are continuously assessed throughout each module according to the National Curriculum requirements and awarded a level and grade for effort closely linked to the GCSE grading. Progress is closely monitored against differentiated learning objectives, and these are recorded on an end-of-module summative assessment sheet.
KS3 Assessment Grid
Key Stage 4
Students have two pathways at Key Stage 4; Art, Craft & Design and Photography.
Art, Craft and Design
The specification used is AQA Art, Craft and Design. This is a broad course exploring practical and critical/contextual work through a range of 2D and/or 3D processes and new media and technologies. It is an unendorsed course where pupils can work in appropriate art, craft and design materials and processes. Work is produced through projects containing artwork, photographs, research, and written annotation.
Photography
The specification used is AQA Art and Design: Photography. It emphasises the importance of photography as an art form as well to communicate ideas. Development of ideas through sustained research and individual work is the most important aspect of the course. Work is produced through projects containing photographs, research, and written annotation.
Students will receive weekly homework related to content studied that week. Students will also be assessed on their comprehension throughout each module and will receive a grade at the end of each module.
Further Study
After studying GCSE Art/Photography students can go on to study A‐Level Art, Graphic Design, Textiles, Photography, B-TEC based art courses and any other art related course. It will help access a huge number of potential opportunities in the Art world including architecture, graphics, web design, jewellery, ceramics, 3D design, film & photography, fashion, advertising, game design, animation and many more.
It provides a number of skills that employers are looking for in an employee – independence, teamwork, communication, problem solving, research skills and creativity. It can be a key influence in the following career paths: Teaching, Hairdressing, Landscape design, Childcare, Beauty, Interior design and Architecture.