Art

Quality of Education

Curriculum 

Developing creativity is at the forefront of the Art & Design curriculum. In a wider sense Art and Design is seen as a means of development of a wide range of practical and cognitive skills which allow innovation and personal development and an understanding of Art and Design within the context of society. Communication, problem solving and independence are also a key part of the art curriculum encouraging students to talk about and develop their own ideas and exploring ways to implement these effectively.

Art and Design is seen as a central element towards understanding and enjoyment of most areas of the school curriculum as well as a subject area in its own right. Cross curricular projects are welcomed and followed wherever possible. In turn, this provides them with opportunities to achieve ‘excellence for all’.

Inspire Pathway:

Students have 2 sessions of Art per week, covering a broad and balanced Art curriculum that develops understanding and skills through a range of practical and cognitive skills. In Year 7, the curriculum focuses on providing a solid foundation of the basics of art with students then moving towards a thematic approach in Year 8. This is designed to develop students’ knowledge and understanding though a variety of learning experiences and approaches, developing confidence, competence, imagination and creativity. Students’ progress sequentially through bridge and then milestone objectives, allowing them to develop a greater depth and understanding of the subject, preparing them for increased independent investigation in KS4 with students working towards Entry Level or in some cases GCSE qualifications.

Wellbeing: The Art department supports the development of positive learners by using the marking and feedback policy. Students aspire to achieve and respond positively to regular praise, use of stickers and stamps, pathway champions and postcards. Furthermore, taking part in Arts based activities develops student’s confidence and self-worth allowing them to express themselves and make connections with others.

Values: The Art department supports the development of positive and resilient learners through the use of the marking and feedback policy. Learning is scaffolded, modelled and revisited to allow for students to succeed and opportunities to try again. All students achieve external accreditation in Art & Design, differentiated across 5 pathways. They have opportunities to create artwork that is displayed around school, boosting students’ self-esteem and confidence.  Finally, students deepen their moral code in Art lessons through discussion of appropriate and relevant artwork, helping them to develop into students with integrity and a strong moral sense of right and wrong.  

SMSC: in Art we incorporate a range of critical and contextual influences and inspirations, covering a variety of cultures, beliefs, ideas and religions. Students are encouraged to appreciate that all cultures have expression, purpose and artistic worth. Students are encouraged to have an open mind when observing work allowing them to appreciate others viewpoints that may challenge their own beliefs. They are encouraged to give appropriate feedback to peers in a variety of ways, giving justification for their views. Students can apply this to their daily lives ensuring that they are able to voice opinions in the appropriate way. Pupils take part in a range of problem-solving activities. They are encouraged to work collaboratively, take on leadership roles and develop teamwork skills. Pupils are empowered to apply their Art skills and knowledge to the wider curriculum

Extra-Curricular: are a key part of students learning and as such the Art department has a range of extracurricular activities on offer that are designed to consolidate the learning that takes place in lessons, introduce new skills and techniques and challenge and excite students. Students have the opportunity to visit art galleries or other places of interest linked to their learning. They take part in collaborative arts events such as the school performance and Christmas concert, helping behind the scenes with roles such as costumes, promotion, merchandise, etc. They also take part in in-house competitions and enterprise opportunities, such as the annual Christmas card design.

CEIAG: Art & Design is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that provides useful skills that support students in real life such as the ability to problem solve, communicate, understand and appreciate others as well as developing self-worth. Students have the opportunity to undertake learning related to real life, such as producing artwork to sell, involvement in the display of their own work and using their art skills in a real life setting such as prop design, poster design and merchandise for the school production and other events.