Art and Design operates within the Arts Faculty alongside Music, dance and Drama.
Our aims are to provide opportunities for pupils 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 pupils 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 pupils.
- enable all pupils 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 pupils to think in different ways and to use different forms of intelligence
Pupils 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 which includes a well equipped 3D studio. 2 of our rooms have
interactive white boards. Students have access to 14 computers with internet access and specialist software.
The school library is a valuable resource housing a good range of up to date art books and visual aids.
A conference room is available for project work and presentations.
Organisation
Key Stage 3
The pupils have 2 lessons of 50 minutes each week. Most of these run consecutively. Pupils are taught in mixed
ability groups of around 25.
The Key Stage is divided into 12 week modules and the students rotate to experience work in the painting and
drawing studio, the mixed media studio and the three dimensional studio utilising individual staff's expertise.
Key Stage 4
Pupils study GCSE Art and Design (fine art) and 3 dimensional studies, according to the OCR syllabus. Exam results constantly exceed the
national average.
Staff our encouraged to write schemes of work, taking on board National Curriculum and GCSE requirements.
High expectations, independent study and challenge is high priority in all years. Citizenship is integral
to our delivery of the art curriculum.
Extra-curricular activities
Art clubs run on a daily basis for all years. Additional provision is made for talented pupils.
Visits to art galleries, art workshops and master classes support the art curriculum.