Art and Design operates within the Expressive Arts Faculty alongside Music and Dance.
Our aims are to provide opportunities for Students to:
- Engage with a variety of art forms, to explore values, attitudes, feelings and meanings.
- Develop the ability to create, appreciate and make critical judgements about artworks.
- Encourage Students to work independently and in teams, to share arts experiences and present artworks to others.
- Develop an understanding of the role of the arts in society, including as a career.
- Increase active and independent involvement in cultural opportunities.
Through our activities we strive to:
- Stimulate total involvement and commitment from Students.
- Enable all Students to succeed and develop self-esteem.
- Show that learning can be fun.
- Encourage respect for other people's contributions.
- Challenge pupils to consider complex issues, thoughts, feelings and actions.
- Help Students to think in different ways and to use different forms of intelligence.
Students should work at least as hard as the teacher. They are motivated by seeing a clear purpose to lessons knowing why they are required to work in a particular way, being interested in outcome and being anxious to learn the skill, ideas or information on offer.
Accommodation & resources
Art and Design is taught in 4 specialist rooms, each specialising in one of the following; 3D studies, ICT Art and Design, Printmaking and Textiles. The fifth room is used exclusively by our KS5 students. All of our rooms have interactive white boards. Students have access to 14 computers with internet access and specialist software.
We also have a fully equipped Sixth Form Art Centre with ICT equipment and individual working areas.
The school library is a valuable resource housing a good range of up to date art books and visual aids.
Organisation
Key Stage 3
The Students have 1 lesson of 100 minutes each week. They are taught in mixed ability groups of around 25.
The Key Stage is divided into 12 week modules and the students rotate each term to experience work in the different studios, utilising individual staff's expertise; covering topics such as ‘Portraits’, ‘Imagination and Fantasy’ and ‘Unusual Viewpoint’. Staff encourage students to work independently wherever possible, providing them with a wide range of skills and knowledge about Art and Design practice.
We celebrate success each term with an exhibition for each year group at key Stage 3.
Key Stage 4
Students study GCSE Art and Design (fine art) and 3 dimensional studies, according to the OCR syllabus. Within the first term of the GCSE course, Art students have the opportunity to visit the Tate Modern in London. We pride ourselves on the high quality and diversity of work that our students produce, which we celebrate each year with our ‘Excellence in Art’ exhibition. Exam results constantly exceed the national average.
High expectations, independent study and challenge is high priority in all years. Citizenship is integral to our delivery of the art curriculum.
Key Stage 5
Students study AS and A level Art, according to the AQA syllabus. Lessons are taught in our Sixth Form new purpose built Art Centre.
Students are expected to work independently, following a project brief; experimenting with a wide range of materials and techniques.
Extra-curricular activities
Art clubs run on a daily basis for all years. Additional provision is made for talented Students. Visits to art galleries, art workshops and master classes support the art curriculum.