Art

Art lessons will help students to develop their intellectual, social, cultural, moral, creative and spiritual skills. The scope of the lessons is far reaching and will encourage them to foster an appreciation of the formal and informal disciplines of Art. Students will find ways to be innovative, imaginative and take action on these ideas. They will also learn the sensitivity and relationship between emotional and intuitive responses compared to intellectual and analytical processes.

The Art department runs activities throughout the year including regular after school classes.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum

In Years 7 and 8, students are introduced to the basic principles of Art and Design and will learn essential techniques of drawing, painting, printing and 3D work including clay. They are also introduced to the concept of using the work of artists to inspire their own pieces.  We offer students the opportunity to study a range of projects which allow them to develop their skills across a large range of areas. Each project has been written so that students, who wish to opt for Art as a GCSE, already have an understanding of the framework of the course. 

GCSE Study

Students can choose between Fine Art and Art Textiles if they wish to study an Art-based subject for GCSE.

Both GCSE courses allow students to experience a wide range of materials, techniques and processes over the two years. A vast amount of talent is not required to succeed, although motivation, hard work, enthusiasm and patience are a must!

The GCSE programme is made up of the coursework portfolio (60%) and the final exam (40%). The coursework portfolio is made up of a mixture of skills based exercises all of which are inspired by either an artist or a culture. Any piece of coursework can be re-visited over the course and improved so that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. In Fine Art, students will have the opportunity to work using the following materials: painting, printing, drawing, sculpture, clay construction and glazes, digital photography, mixed media and textiles. In Art Textiles, students will be able to use a wide range of media, but the main focus will be using textile techniques and processes within their work.

After School Workshops

The Art Department offers an open doors policy to their students where they have the opportunity to be able to come and work within the Art rooms after school. The aim of these sessions is for students to access support with class work, homework and exam preparation. We recommend that GCSE students attend an hour workshop every week. The rooms are open 3-4pm Monday-Friday.

Public Exhibition

As a celebration for the hard work over the GCSE course, a public exhibition is held within the department at the end of Year 11. Every GCSE Fine Art student is represented and this gives both the students and their family the opportunity to view all of the work produced over the course.