Art and design

Why do we study Art and Design?

Art has the power to tell us of our past, present, and future through the recording of our thoughts and experience. It allows our young people to explore culture in a creative capacity without boundaries. Art can be used to entertain, create awareness, and communicate. The universal nature of art allows every student the opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of our current issues through a well-balanced education and ensure that they are able to positively contribute to the wider world as individuals.

Art naturally builds student confidence and resilience. It encourages our students to problem-solve, to be self-critical, to make decisions, and to take risks within their learning. The encouragement of self-expression and exploration naturally encourages our students to embrace ‘the happy accident’ and ‘learn through their mistakes’.
Art is a vehicle to engage, evoke reactions, and provoke action through the employment of the human senses. Experimentation and exploration underpin our subject values by encouraging students to investigate ideas throughout a creative journey.

Art forces our students to observe the world around them, to slow down and to look in a very fast technology filled world. The study of art teaches our young people life skills: resilience, problem-solving, to be self-critical and decisive, to take risks, build social skills, build learner confidence, and develop a moral compass. These qualities are not exclusive to Art but applicable and transferable to adult life and relevant to a number of different career paths.

The study of Art and Design supports our students to pursue careers within the largest growing sector in the UK economy according to ‘The Creative Industries’. A broad curriculum allows our learners to confidently engage with career options within this sector.

Meet the team

Mrs Beedle - Head of Art and Photography 

Art is a core part of my life and I want to share that love for my subject through teaching. When I'm not teaching or being a mum, I am practicing as a stained glass artist. I value all forms of creativity and am keen to encourage the next generation to develop an appreciation for arts, craft and photography and the skills and knowledge involved. 

Mrs Lay - Teacher of Art

I teach Art because the opportunity to allow young people to experience joy, the power to express themselves, be creative and build self worth; which  is a privilege. 

Dame Elizabeth Frink, a wonderful & powerful artist I admire said it so well ' I think all Art is an instrument of change through awareness'. 

Mrs Delalu - Teacher of Art and Photography

Art has been my passion ever since I was young. I was inspired in secondary school by my art teacher and always wanted to be like her. I’m so blessed to be able to teach art and to encourage and inspire young people to be creative and to find that confidence and sense of identity. Art is such a vital subject for students to be able to express themselves. I try to create a space where students can relax from the business of school life and find joy in being creative. 

Miss Rowe - Art Technician

I have a strong belief in the importance of creativity and art in education. In my role as art technician I help create an environment where students can discover and hone their creative potential and develop their ability to express themselves through art.  

KS3 Programme of Study

Year 7
Term 1: Land Art, explored through Drawing and group work outside in the school grounds.
Term 2: Colour, explored through painting in response to the Abstract work of the artist Kandinsky.
Term 3: Colour and Abstract Art, responding to music to create collagraph prints.
Term 4: Bird inspired clay sculptures
Term 5: Harry Potter set design - Sculpture building focuses upon shape and form.
Term 6: Harry Potter set building - Sculpture building focuses upon texture and colour.

Year 8
Term 1: Observational Portrait drawing, supported by portraits throughout Art History.
Term 2: Planning an inspirational person clay bust, supported busts from worldwide cultures.
Term 3: Clay bust of an inspirational figure
Term 4: Vanitas inspired still life  photography and insect paintings
Term 5: Eco issues drawing and design, supported by the work of Banksy.
Term 6: Eco print, exploring etching, supported by the work of Banksy.

Year 9
Term 1: Natural forms drawing and etching in response to Angie Lewin
Term 2: Art history portrait - artist fact file - whole year creating an Art History portrait timeline
Term 3: Personal Art history portrait exploring photography and painting.
Term 4: Personal Art history portrait exploring photography and painting.
Term 5: Clay bas relief tile - exploring British Values.
Term 6: Clay bas relief tile - exploring British Values.

Course: AQA Art, Craft and Design

Exam weighting: 40% Examination 60% Coursework

Assessment: Student’s coursework and exam are assessed at the end of year 11; the work is externally moderated by AQA

Content: For the coursework component students will begin with a series of workshops to develop skills and build confidence in working with a range of media.

Course: Three Dimensional Design

Exam weighting: 40% Examination 60% Coursework

Assessment: Student’s coursework and exam are assessed at the end of year 11; the work is externally moderated by AQA.

Content: For the coursework component students will begin with a series of workshops to develop skills and build confidence in working with a range of 3D media.

GCSE Programme of Study

Art and Design

Year 10
Terms 1 & 2: Media workshops observing and recording Food. Using drawing, painting, photography and Clay
Terms 3 - 6: Developing a self directed sustained project to the theme of ‘Precious World’’

Year 11
Terms 1 & 2: Resolving ambitious individual outcomes for the project ‘Precious World’.
Term 3: Start the externally set exam
Term 4 & 5: Developing ideas, responses to individual exam projects. Exam days completed in May to create final outcomes for the projects.

Three Dimensional Design:
Year 10
Terms 1 & 2: Media workshops observing and recording Food. Using drawing, photography, card construction, wire, plaster casting, and clay.
Terms 3 - 6: Developing a self directed sustained project to a sculpture brief, responding to the coast and sea.

Year 11:
Terms 1 & 2: Resolving ambitious individual outcomes for coastal sculpture brief .
Term 3: Start the externally set exam
Term 4 & 5: Developing ideas, responses to individual exam projects. Exam days completed in May to create final outcomes for the projects.

Homework

At Key Stage 3 students are set challenges to take part in. The challenges support in lesson learning and are run as competitions with certificates and prizes for creativity. 

At GCSE students are set homework tasks to complete weekly. As students work individually, students are directed to set homework tasks on an individual basis.

Google classroom is used to record and set homework.

Enrichment Opportunities in Art

Art Leadership Group:
We offer a club for Key Stage 3 students who love art. We meet weekly after school.

Year 9  trip to the National and Portrait Gallery:

In support of the art history portrait unit students are given the opportunity to go to the two national galleries to see work first hand to develop a better appreciation of the artwork and their context. While in London we take the opportunity to do a sightseeing walk, taking in Trafalgar Square to parliament. 

Barcelona Art trip:

Every two years year 8 and 9 students are given the opportunity to visit Barcelona to explore the vast creative art, and culture in the city.

Art Workshops:
Specialist workshops are offered to all students to attend after school. We have offered Christmas decorations and printmaking most recently.

Winter Festival :

The art department takes an active lead in our schools Winter Festival, displaying/celebrating students work and providing opportunities for students to have experience of selling their creative artworks/crafts

GCSE:
We have visiting artists who lead workshops with our students in school. It is such a positive experience for our students to meet working artists first hand. GCSE students are welcomed into the school, after school to work on coursework.

GCSE - Harry Potter Studios visit

GCSE students visit Harry Potter studios; going behind the scenes to have a workshop on the vast creative careers involved in the making of the films, before touring the studios.