Art & Design Department

Art & Design Department

We encourage all students to enjoy art, whether they are natural artists or not.
We provide a wide range of 2D and 3D media, which will allow each student to discover the one in which they can successfully demonstrate their artistic creativity.

The Art and Design Department is staffed by a team of specialists who work in a range of disciplines.

• Mrs Tomlinson (Head of Art & Design)
• Mrs Stevens (Head of Textiles)
• Miss Hall (Art & Textiles)
• Mrs Chalmers (Art & Graphics)
• Mr O'Neill (Art & Graphics)

To develop student's skills at Key stage 3, we plan a series of varied and stimulating projects to interest all. These include; investigation of past works of western art, and those from other cultures, interpreting the world around them and their own experiences in different media, and using their imagination to produce original works of art.

The work produced by individuals, or groups of students, is on display around school and decorates the two art rooms. This provides a lively and stimulating environment (see the Art Gallery) Whenever possible we provide enhancement activities such as;

• Art related visits (see the Art Gallery)
• Artists in residence (see the Art Gallery)
• Involvement in competitions and community projects, which give gifted and talented pupils a wider forum to demonstrate their ability (see the Art Gallery)

At Key Stage 4;

• GCSE; Art and Design Students select to work in one of the listed discipline or a selection of three of them:
• Art & Design
• Fine art,
• Graphic communications,
• 3D Design,
• Photography (lens and light based media)
• GCSE; Art and Design, Textiles. This is taught in the Textiles room, which is resourced with specialist equipment.

Both these courses have proved popular because, despite the sustained effort and time input demanded by a course work assessed qualification, students are aware of 160 career opportunities, linked to, art and textiles design. Students of all abilities can and have achieved their highest grade on these courses.

In recent years A*- C grades have been achieved by over 60% of our students. This success provided them with the entry qualifications onto further education courses, art based or otherwise.

Department Aims:

To ensure that all pupils will be afforded equal access to the best quality National Curriculum Art provision at Key Stages 3 & 4.

That, pupils from all working groups develop:

• The ability to perceive, understand and express concepts and feelings in visual and tactile form
• The ability to record from direct observation and personal experience
• The ability to form, compose and communicate, in two and three dimensions, using materials in a systematic and disciplined manner
• Manipulative skills, and technical competence in all aspects of art, which will enable individuals to realise their own creative intentions.
• An understanding of the place of artists and art movements, within the history of art,

Curriculum aims:

To ensure that all pupils will be afforded the opportunity to reach their highest standard of achievement in art & design capability and gain appropriate certification by:

• Providing a rigorous KS3 foundation course
• Providing a range of differentiated printed resources, for individual access, group work, and whole-class activities.
• Developing pupil's understanding of assessment and the setting of personal targets
• Providing enhanced Art experiences by linking with, other areas of the curriculum, colleges and industry, galleries and artists and designers to provide pupils with the opportunity to develop greater art & design awareness.
• Providing a range of media and equipment (including ICT), to allow pupils the chance to succeed in displaying their artistic ability.
• Providing both individual and group tasks where enterprise thinking and skills can be applied and developed.

Pastoral aims:

Working towards a society, in and beyond school, in which there is a common vision and a sense of belonging for all.

• In line with the school Every Child Matters agenda: To create a secure, caring, disciplined learning environment, that is, safe, pleasant, lively and stimulating
• Ensure all pupil idea and opinions are heard and respected and they know they are valued.
• To inform parents of their child's progress

Community aims:
To take all opportunities to promote the school and pupil's success to;

• Feeder primaries
• FE colleges
• Community groups
• Parents
• FOEP
• Governors
• Business and industry, through various Art experiences