The influence of art and design in our everyday lives is enormous.  We are continually being confronted by visual stimuli through advertising, television, film and fashion.  We hope to develop our students' critical awareness of the visual world and also their own aesthetic senses, using a variety of media, as they acquire technical skills in order to visually communicate their ideas.

Aims

1                    To stimulate and maintain student curiosity, interest and enjoyment in art.

2                    To enable students to be familiar with a body of artistic knowledge, skills, principals and vocabulary.

Students should become competent and confident in:

1                    Producing art

2                    Responding to works of art produced by others.

To develop an awareness of;

1                    The implications of art past and present for the individual and the local, national and international communities.

2                    The significance of art and to value it as an important, pleasurable and fundamental realm of human experience.

Objectives

1                    To use a diverse range of sources from which artists, craftspeople and designers from different localities, generations and cultures derive their inspiration and ideas.

2                    To use qualities of artistic materials so as to make appropriate selections, when producing images and artefacts.

3                    To experiment with and to use knowledge of the Visual Elements.  To design and make art in a variety of media, genres and styles.

Year 9 Course Delivery in the Art Department

This is a foundation course, which is designed to reinforce basic skills and introduce new skills, increasing student confidence and developing the creative imagination of the individual, through a variety of stimuli, media, techniques and processes.

Emphasis is placed upon drawing in the broadest sense whilst developing an understanding of the visual language and prompting individually unique responses to the natural and manmade world.  Contextual studies are incorporated into all schemes of work.

Projects are designed to allow areas to be assessed in line with Key Stage 3 attainment targets.  Each programme of study allows for differentiation of task to support the less able and to extend the more able.  Teaching and SEN support is arranged where appropriate.  Support staff work with the art teachers to ensure the best possible learning environment.

Homework is set as detailed in the department homework policy.  The teachers record class work and homework marks in their mark books.  Students are given feedback with positive criticism as soon as possible, with comments recorded in their workbooks for their own reference.

Year 10 and 11 Delivery in the Art Department

The GCSE Art (Fine Art) course gives the students the opportunity to work with a range of media and techniques.  Initial emphasis is placed upon developing skills in drawing and painting, enabling students to gain confidence in the ability to record from things they see and feel.

Students are required to compile three units of coursework over the two-year course.  Each Fine Art unit covers specific techniques and processes. The units will follow a series of themes that may include still life, art from non-western cultures, portraiture and posters based on themes of fine art.

Students will develop the ability to:

§         Record from observation, experiences and ideas;

§         Analyse and evaluate images and objects;

§         Develop and explore ideas;

§         Make connections with the work of other artists;

§         Work with a range of media, techniques and construction methods.

The Art and Design course requires the students to experience the work of other artists.  All projects include opportunities for them to respond to the work of artists and cultures and make connections with their own work.

The two-year course includes an examination under controlled conditions in the spring term of Year 11.

Coursework                        60% of the Final Mark

Terminal Examination           40% of the Final Mark

The course provides excellent preparation for Art Studies in Year 12 and 13 at AS and A Level. 

The department reserves the rights to retain examples of moderated student coursework.  Under normal circumstances no more than one piece from any individual student would be chosen by the department for retention. 

AS/A2 Delivery in the Art Department

AS/A2 Art and Design is intended for students who have a genuine interest in Art and Design.  The course will build on the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired by candidates who have taken GCSE art.  It is expected that candidates will have developed appropriate attainment, understanding and skills for their programme of study to be rewarding.  All candidates embarking on this course of study must have previously studied GCSE art and design and achieved a grade C or above.  The analytical and evaluative components of the courses require candidates to demonstrate an understanding of purpose, meaning and content, therefore a good standard of English language is important.