Year 9 Options Video

Overview

The departmental aim is to have an environment which nurtures and actively encourages independent creativity and talent amongst all its pupils. We aim to create inquisitive, innovative pupils that aim to problem solve, work independently and creativity in a variety of disciplines across the department. Practical work develops through an ethos of praise and constructive dialogue between student and teacher where the teacher becomes the facilitator and guide for our pupil’s creative journey.

Students are exposed to a wide range of media and technical skills where they develop greater understanding of the media and why it is effectively used within art. Pupils develop their appreciation of art through the generation of their own work and through the opportunity to see a wide variety of art inside and outside of school. All students are encouraged to have ownership of their ideas and work working independently on a variety of projects from other cultures, modern artists working today as well as great masters and movements. We believe this helps to build up pupil’s knowledge and allows them to make informed decisions regarding the direction of their practical work, developing work with guidance from the teacher rather than instruction whenever possible.

It is the departmental aim to generate enthusiasm in students and provide educational, challenging, varied and enjoyable schemes of work.

Key Stage 4

Pupils study AQA Art and Design and/or Photography GCSE.

We have a huge uptake at GCSE in both Art and Photography considering the teaching provision and department is small in staff and room numbers.

The curriculum for Ks4 is broad and balanced starting with skills workshops to allow pupils to experiment and explore new media and to try techniques unsuitable at Ks3 due to health and safety.

Pupils complete sketchbook skills, advanced print making training, photography workshops and advanced ICT training within the first 8 weeks of KS4. This then allows pupils to make informed decisions regarding media choice, development and refinement of work.

Teachers work as facilitator and guide to allow pupils to have creative freedom while still completing work to a high standard and making changes to portfolios when assessment and verbal feedback directs them to do so.

Pupils experiment and explore a variety of presentational styles and after discussion with staff pupils work in the visual style they prefer some preferring PowerPoint and ICT others using sketchbook and some preferring a mixture of both.

Pupils in art and design have a range of media and styles of artwork to explore and develop at GCSE the pathway pupils choose is varied and ranges from fine art painting and drawing, mixed media outcomes collage etc…, graphic design outcomes working to develop products such as t shirts, bags, DVDs etc…, photography outcomes, print making outcomes, 3D outcomes such as large scale food, frames and installation art. The department is innovative and always aims to put pupil’s creativity and imagination at the forefront of our teaching.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Art Club- Twice a week art club runs(TLA), during art club pupils have the opportunity to complete personal projects, competitions, classwork, homework or mini projects set within the department including Christmas decorations, photography, Christmas cards, scarecrows, therapeutic art including Zentangling, crafts such as tie dying, t shirt printing and large food sculpture.