An ability to draw, sculpt or create any form of visual artwork is to have an ability to speak a universal language. Draw a flower on a piece of paper and any person from any nation could understand what you have drawn.
The study of Art and Design fosters students’ natural creativity and curiosity of images whilst developing technical skill in a variety of materials and processes. Art and Design encourages students to explore the potential of materials and communicate their personal ideas.
We are now living in an incredibly visually rich world where Facebook, smartphones and plasma screen TV’s are a part of the fabric of everyday life. The study of Art and Design merely highlights how important the visual world is to us. In an age where even the most complex factual information is just a click away, subjects that promote students originality and creativity are important – well we think so! You can’t ‘Google’ how to come up with an original artistic idea.
Our KS3 curriculum is designed to build students confidence in handling a range of materials and processes whilst fostering their natural ability for creativity and experimentation. We want our students to take creative risks and be ambitious about their ideas. Throughout all key stages, but particularly at key stage 3, students explore art and design through the formal elements of art, which are line, tone, shape, form, pattern, colour, composition, texture.
Autumn Term
In the Autumn term of Y7 students will explore the formal elements of line, shape, tone, texture, form and pattern through a variety of drawing based activities using materials such as pencil, pen, inks and paint. Students will be encouraged to work from direct observation to hone their recording skills.
Students will also be introduced to ARTiculation, a national competition held at KS4 and KS5 to foster students’ engagement in the arts and public speaking. Although Discover ARTiculation (KS4 competition) and The ARTiculation Prize (Post-16) come some years later, we feel it is important to develop students’ skills of critical thinking and public speaking at an early age. We have won both national competitions twice in the past four years, proving our investment in this area is paying dividends.
Spring Term
In the spring term of Y7 students will continue to explore the formal elements with a particular emphasis on colour and composition. Students will explore a broader range of art materials such as coloured pencils, and paints. The term will culminate in a large painting which brings all the skills they have learnt so far in the year together.
Summer Term
An extended homework sculpture project awaits students in the summer term. This is always a fascinating project in the way it tests students’ ability to manipulate everyday household materials as well as their ability to plan and execute a sculpture of many weeks. In school, students continue their exploration of the formal elements of colour, pattern, shape, composition, line and texture by creating a series of collage works.
Throughout the year homework will be set to develop and refine skills that have been learnt in class. Examples include:
Students will complete 3 school assessments (drawing, painting and imagination based) as well as their overall classwork and homework being holistically assessed. Students will receive regular written and verbal feedback throughout the year, both of which will be recorded in their year 7 sketchbook. In addition, students will frequently be asked to reflect on their own learning highlighting strengths and areas for development.
Provide basic art equipment to support homework tasks (pencils, colouring pencils, felt tip pens, glue scissors, tape).
Encourage your child to practise observational drawings and take an interest in their extended homework tasks.
Visit free art galleries in your spare time to enhance their knowledge and appreciation of art: Leeds City Art Gallery, Bradford Cartwright Hall, Dean Clough Gallery (Halifax), Sheffield Millennium Gallery, Bradford Photography Museum, Salts Mills (Saltaire), Hepwort
Our KS3 curriculum is designed to build students confidence in handling a range of materials and processes whilst fostering their natural ability for creativity and experimentation. We want our students to take creative risks and be ambitious about their ideas. Throughout all key stages, but particularly at key stage 3, students explore art and design through the formal elements of art, which are line, tone, shape, form, pattern, colour, composition, texture.
Autumn Term
In the autumn term of Y8 students will explore the formal elements of line, shape, tone, texture, form and pattern through a variety of activities using materials such as pencil, pen, inks and watercolours and collage. Students will be encouraged to work from direct observation to hone their recording skills. Students will be introduced to some key artists from the art movements Fauvism and Surrealism leading to an imaginative based artwork.
Spring Term
In the spring term students will be encouraged to explore their own identity by researching and responding to carved artworks of Maori and North West Pacific tribes, culminating in a clay piece of their own design.
Summer Term
In the summer term students explore graphic artwork as well as developing their art appreciation and public speaking skills by undertaking and ARTiculation related task. In the latter half of the term students will explore the cultural fabric designs of African countries, leading to their own textile Batik inspired by their research.
Throughout the year homework will be set to develop and refine skills that have been learnt in class. Examples include:
Students will complete 3 school assessments (drawing, painting and imagination based) as well as their overall classwork and homework being holistically assessed. Students will receive regular written and verbal feedback throughout the year, both of which will be recorded in their year 7 sketchbook. In addition, students will frequently be asked to reflect on their own learning highlighting strengths and areas for development.
Provide basic art equipment to support homework tasks (pencils, colouring pencils, felt tip pens, glue scissors, tape).
Encourage your child to practise observational drawings and take an interest in their extended homework tasks.
Visit free art galleries in your spare time to enhance their knowledge and appreciation of art: Leeds City Art Gallery, Bradford Cartwright Hall, Dean Clough Gallery (Halifax), Sheffield Millennium Gallery, Bradford Photography Museum, Salts Mills (Saltaire), Hepworth Museum (Wakefield).
Ultimately, we aim to develop creativity, independence and individuality through enjoyment from learning about art, craft and design in the world around us. This will allow our students to make a positive contribution to wider society and prepare them for life in a diverse community.
For examples of GCSE student work, please see these two galleries:
Exam Board: AQA
