Art
Art helps students to be creative, imaginative and experimental. Through art, students can explore a wide range of topics including their own identity and surroundings. Communicating without words is a life skill. Learners are taught the technical language of art (form, line, tone, texture, pattern and perspective) and the weird and wonderful (abstract and conceptual art). The Art Department supports the school's ethos of developing inspiring, knowledge, enquiring and caring global citizens through academic excellence within our broad & balanced curriculum by promoting our core values.
Inspiring
We aim to inspire children to create outcomes that are skillful, thought provoking, creative and exciting. Learners explore a wide range of media and techniques with the belief that they will discover a process that they enjoy and love. By studying a diverse range of artworks students can understand and appreciate the skills, originality and meaning that amazing artworks embody.
Knowledgeable
The curriculum is designed as a spiral curriculum which enables students to build upon prior knowledge while preparing for the next stage. As well as having the knowledge to create accomplished work, a goal is for students to be able to discuss art with informed opinion in an eloquent manner. To facilitate this, students learn about a broad range of media, processes and artworks. Such artworks range from those produced by the world-renowned Henry Moore (we are lucky to be based only a short distance from the Henry Moore Foundation) to Frida Kahlo, via art from the Islamic traditions.
Enquiring and caring global citizens
Beyond realistic forms of art, bizarre, exotic and weird creations are studied. Wondering why a work may cost £50 000 000 yet looks like someone has dropped a bucket of paint becomes a delight to explain as students piece together the story of art in order to derive at an understanding that explains all. Ensuring students gain an understanding that art is not just a ‘pretty picture’ but a vehicle that encapsulates culture, science, history and technology is an aim that we transfer to the older learners. Students are encouraged to select and research global themes about which to make outcomes. Such themes must be investigated independently for an artwork to communicate successfully and have validity.
Excellence in education
Students are expected to perform at the highest possible level throughout each project. Examples are used to set the standard and expectations. Such resources motivate and challenge students. Technical skills imbed confidence while originality breaks boundaries.
Student-centered
The Art Department encourages student-centered learning. Unit Plans and Schemes of Work are designed to give students the opportunities to make decisions and take a project in their own direction. The older the student, the greater freedom they have to explore topics of their own choosing and take developments into experiments which suit them and their style while communicating intentions successfully. Such an approach develops in the learner an independence and freedom that prepares them for later life.
Lifelong Learning
Artists establish skills, knowledge and understanding which allow them to shape an appreciation of the world, its cultures, history and visual language. Being able to decode visual images, relate an artwork to the times and culture in which is made is a focus that starts in year 7 and grows throughout the curriculum.
Being able to communicate ideas in a way that clearly communicates intentions is a life skill, be it a design and colour scheme for a new kitchen installation or a poster to promote a local jumble sale, students are provided with the skills that will allow them to produce visuals with an informed understanding throughout their lives.
Approaches to Learning
The following are at the heart of the Art curriculum, allowing students to thrive.
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Thinking skills. critical thinking. creativity and innovation are critical as students learn to problem solve.
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Communication skills ensure that students successfully communicate their intentions.
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Social skills allow students to work in groups and discuss ideas and concepts.
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Self-management skills. organisation. affective. Reflection Mean that students are efficiently working and improving.
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Research skills. information literacy. media literacy allow students to produce work that has depth and breadth, integrity and flair.
Approaches to Teaching
A wide range of strategies which allow all learners to benefit are applied within the art rooms. An exciting tone and introducing the right level of challenge help students progress and thrive. Differentiated materials and resources combine with aural and visual instruction (video, tutorials and worksheets) so that all can excel.
Interdisciplinary Connection
Arts curriculum is rich with cross curricular links. While Design Technology may have the most obvious and numerous connections, TOK, Geography, Mathematics, RE and History all inherently lend themselves to allowing learners to make connections between subjects. From the proportion of the human face being expressed in fractions during a Year 7 project to the understanding of the creation of pattern in Year 9, mathematics is utilized and enriches students understanding. An knowledge of History is paramount to understanding the reasons behind the concepts and styles that artists have created throughout the years. The influences of 60’s design or the reasons why Henry Moore depicted sleeping people in tube stations are pieced together as students apply their knowledge of history upon the relevant art and artefacts.
Literacy
Being able to reflect upon, critique and analyze visual art is crucial to success throughout the curriculum. Students are provided with prompt questions, worksheets and vocabulary guides so that they may examine art in a critical and eloquent manner.
An awareness of art from a range of times, cultures and locations allows students to understand the issues and beliefs surrounding creations. Thus, international mindedness is encouraged amongst the learner population. The study of Islamic art within a Year 9 project is one such example.
The study of contemporary art lends itself to discussions associated with the times we live in and the values we have. Work by many of the YBA’s and the values that many of the works bring to light are discussed with students.
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
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Unit 1 Title |
Portraits |
Henry Moore & Form |
Pattern & Ceramics |
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Key Concept Aesthetics & Identity
Global Context Identities and relationships Statement of Inquiry Artists draw themselves realistically with techniques and careful observation ATL Focus Thinking, communicating and self-management skills Content Focus To create a realistic pencil drawing of a self-portrait upon A3 paper. Students will undergo a series of studies and practice to build up to this outcome.Use techniques to communicate an emotion within a self-portrait. |
Key Concept Form Global Context Personal and cultural expression + Scientific and technical innovation. Statement of Inquiry Methods can be used to portray clearly the idea of form. ATL Focus Thinking, Communication, Self-management and research. Content Focus Create a small sculpture using air drying clay and paint. Using Photoshop, your sculpture will ‘magically’ be transported to a relevant location. As part of the design process, you will be drawing (using a variety of media) natural objects and/including the human form. Throughout the project you will be inspired by Henry Moore. |
Key Concept Aesthetics Global Context Personal and cultural expression, Conceptual understanding
Statement of Inquiry Aesthetics can be developed through a system of structure in order to produce products featuring pattern and abstraction. ATL Focus thinking skills Content Focus Having studied patterns and produced visual research, students follow the design process in order to produce a clay tile whose decoration is influenced by pattern. |
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Unit 2 Title - |
Cubism |
Illustration |
Drawing and Painting. |
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Key Concept Aesthetics, Communication, Identity Global Context Orientation in space and time. Statement of Inquiry Artists can produce art in an abstract manner in order to communicate more. ATL Focus Thinking, Communication, Self-management and research. Content Focus To create a painting of a self-portrait which demonstrates your understanding and skill relating to painting, symbolism, blending and colour. The piece must show who you are in an abstract manner!
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Key Concept Aesthetics / Communication Global Context Personal and cultural expression Statement of Inquiry Styles of art and design can be used to communicate an intended meaning. ATL Focus Thinking, Communication, Self-management and research. Content Focus Design and produce an illustration which has design elements considered and is influenced by an artist or illustrator's style. Students study a range of styles before selecting their own and developing ideas further.
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Key Concept Aesthetics / Communication Global Context Personal and cultural expression Statement of Inquiry What techniques can be used to produce imagery? ATL Focus Thinking, Communication, Self-management and research.
Content Focus Artworks will be produced which improve abilities to draw and paint. A range of media and techniques will be used so that a portfolio of work can be submitted and possibly used for GCSE work. Reflections will be achieved at a greater depth than what has been done previously
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Unit 3 Title - |
Perspective |
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Key Concept Aesthetics. Communication Global Context Orientation in space and time. Statement of Inquiry For artists to produce a realistic artwork, conventions can be utilized. ATL Focus Thinking, Communication, Self-management Content Focus To create a watercolour painting of a Hockerill building. You will use the skills that you learn during the lessons to demonstrate your understanding of two-point perspective and the powers of your observation. Remember! – draw what you can see, not what you think is there. |
Year 10
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Students begin component 1 following the design process and producing work that adheres to the assessment criteria. The current topic is ‘Reflections’. Drawings and paintings are produced, relevant artists are studied (Kate Brinkworth, Francis Bacon and Jeff Koons). A trip to London galleries rounds off the research stage of the project. Under supervision of the teacher, students then travel in their own direction, developing designs, refining ideas, and experimenting with media.
Year 11
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Students complete their year 10 project (currently a project featuring portraiture and nature) having followed the structure described above.
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Upon their return in the New Year, students begin component 2 in preparation for a controlled conditions timed test in early May. The format is the same as their component 1 project and the topic is externally set by the examination board.
Environment: How is the curriculum adjusted to ensure all students can succeed?
Students can work in the art room during lunchtimes, after College and when the room is not in use. Media is available for students and, if necessary, specialist media can be purchased. Example material is shown, and the assessment criteria referred to.
Learning: How is feedback written into the curriculum to ensure that all students are set challenging goals?
Detailed feedback is given upon fortnightly submissions and one to one tutorials are documented so that students can refer to advice without the need for memorization.
Year 12 Curriculum Map
The first half of term is teacher led, allowing the students to be introduced to the facilities and media possibilities at the College while gaining an understanding of the course. In November, under guidance from the teacher, students develop their own direction for projects. The design process informs the stages of work with Comparative Studies work being completed and informing students own practice. It is recommended that learners aim to complete three exhibition outcomes before July.
Year 13 Curriculum Map
Learners consolidate year 12 activities with the deadline for exhibition work being ready in early March and the two other components ready soon after.
The course consists of the following components.
Comparative Study:
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Students analyse and compare different artworks by different artists. This independent critical and contextual investigation explores artworks, objects and artifacts from differing cultural contexts.
Process Portfolio:
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Students submit carefully selected materials which evidence their experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.
Exhibition:
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Students submit for assessment a selection of resolved artworks from their exhibition. The selected pieces should show evidence of their technical accomplishment during the visual arts course and an understanding of the use of materials, ideas and practices appropriate to visual communication.
‘Big’ questions that link to TOK and Visual art are:
What is visual arts and why do we study it?
How does our knowledge about visual arts inform the way we construct our values?
How is our understanding of visual arts influenced by the way knowledge is communicated?
How do our perspectives and biases shape our knowledge of visual arts?
How is new knowledge about visual arts created?
How do we become discerning knowers about visual arts?
Such questions are discussed in TOK and Visual Art lessons.