Art

Curriculum Rationale

Through art, we aim to equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to think creatively and problem-solve, to turn ideas into reality and to express themselves in visual and innovative ways. We also aim to provide learners with the visual and practical language to be able to respond to the world around us, the environment, their social and spiritual identity and the skills needed to become independent in their lives. We believe that access to a creative and practical education is a human right and so strive to ensure that our courses are as inclusive as possible so that no child is left behind or excluded due to personal or economic circumstances.

We do this by nurturing and inspiring creative minds and developing the use of our practical skills in many varied disciplines. Our department develops a strong foundation of skills at KS3 in drawing and painting, mixed media, print and 3D studies. At KS4 many of these skills are embedded and taken further through more rigorous approaches to the skills taught leading learners on journeys which seem them independently planning, preparing and creating personal responses through art.

To ready our learners for the successful creative industries, we aim to strengthen:

Creative and lateral thought
Design skills
Research and investigation
Independence, confidence, risk taking and resilience
Producing outcomes that are highly skilled and of value

Curriculum Intent

Key Stage 3

Our aim is to provide the young people entrusted to our care with a broad and creative education in Art. Taking our lead from the National Curriculum we aim to guide students through the fundamental skills, how they apply to life beyond the classroom and open hearts and minds to the creative possibilities that this subject can offer. Through trust and respect, passion and enthusiasm we aim to inspire pupils to pursue their journey of discovery through to KS4 and beyond. Our subjects offer pupils a wide and diverse range of transferable skills that we believe will support pupils in areas across the curriculum and the world of work.

Key Stage 4

Art & Design: Through art and design, students are given a means to express themselves in multiple ways so that they are then able to explore and investigate who they are, the world around them, their ideas and opinions. We strongly believe that there is an artform for everyone that can provide anyone with varying degrees of success and the ability to grow in confidence and self-esteem. At KS4 we endeavour to offer as broad a curriculum as possible through skills, techniques and processes and that knowledge develops through analysis of sources but also of themselves and their own ideas and opinions.

Photography: Teaching photography provides students with the opportunity to comment on their opinions and emotions based on real life personal and social situations. It helps them to find alternative tools to express themselves in visual, memorable and poignant ways. More importantly, it gives each student a voice to express their experiences to the wider world and connect to others who have shared that concern or joy.

Curriculum Impact

Students gain confidence and grow increasingly more independent as they progress through school
Students opt to continue their studies in one or more areas at GCSE and further education, and are successful
Students are included at all levels through resources provided for them to ensure that there is no gap with access to the curriculum
Students are successful in their outcomes

Useful Documents

Art Roadmap

Art Curriculum Map

Photography Roadmap

Photography Curriculum Map