Art
Ethos and Aims
The Art Department is a hub of creativity and takes pride in its reputation for providing art education to the highest of standards. We have a dedicated team of specialist art teachers and technical support staff whose expertise creates a dynamic and productive atmosphere. In the department every student is encouraged to reach their creative potential, and exam performance in recent years has been very high.
Students’ work is on display within the Department, whilst ensuring that exam protocols regarding live work are adhered to. We aim to celebrate student work a range of exhibitions, including through the Rotary Competition and exhibitions, the links with the Bewdley Town Council and in-house exhibition style events to showcase our students’ talents and achievements throughout the school year.
In order to provide pupils with an art education that equips students with the necessary skills for employment in today’s creative industries we have opportunities for students to develop digital art, photography and graphics across the school.
We believe that ‘The Arts’ raise the human condition and enrich personal experience. They contribute to the physical and spiritual well-being of the individual; provide a sense of identity and stretch students’ intellectual ability and emotional response. They encourage students to become more flexible, open minded and creative thinkers, providing students with a rich language for communicating ideas, thoughts, and feelings. They aid comprehension of the environment, increasing personal aesthetics and the ability to see the world and workplace from a more global perspective.
Art is about helping children discover talents they never knew they had, reaching standards they had not imagined, developing creativity in a world that values original thought above so much else. It is about securing qualifications that open doors in an a creative climate for life chances but it is also about developing the whole person, their understanding of who they are, how much there is to appreciate in our beautiful world and to develop empathy and appreciation of others. Art is about encouraging students do their best and be their best.
Staffing
Miss J Lord – Head Of Art
Ms A Southall – Art & Textiles Teacher
Miss A Dipple – Art Teacher
Mr S Beckett – Art Technician
Mrs A Parsons - Marketing Manager
Intent
We aim to develop the technical and intellectual skills needed to excel in the production and evaluation of The Arts. Our curriculum has been designed in order to support students to become independent, creative, imaginative learners by equipping them with both practical and theoretical skills that will allow them to express their ideas, thoughts and concepts visually.
We aim to develop students’ knowledge and ability in a broad range of practical skills using a large variety of media and processes. Thus, helping them identify their interests, successes, and skills, allowing students to reach their full creative potential and becoming independent artists. We aim to develop creativity, building students’ creative mindsets and ability to problem solve, communicating ideas and concepts visually.
We aim to provide a broad curriculum and wide range of creative art enrichment opportunities needed to challenge and inspire innovation, risk taking and enterprise. We recognise the importance of the spectrum of art disciplines and endeavour to offer our KS3 students experiences of wide range of areas in which they can then choose to specialise at KS4 and 5. We offer a curriculum that explicitly meets National Curriculum requirements at Key Stage 3 and links with exam board assessment criteria at Key Stage 4 & 5.
Our curriculum aims to provide courses which are relevant to the pupils’ experience and ability, promoting and fostering independence, developing visual literacy skills, whilst developing an awareness of art, craft and design throughout history and within other cultures. We aim to provide cultural opportunities for all, enabling learners to appreciate and contribute to local, national, international, and historical culture as informed citizens. Our curriculum aims to build students critical understanding of the context and meaning of artworks, developing appreciation and the ability to analyse and question appropriately. We aim to build students disciplinary and theoretical knowledge and understanding alongside and supporting the development of practical and creative skills.
The curriculum is designed using excellent subject knowledge, specifically linked to teachers’ specialisms initially in order to motivate and engage all pupils and provide equality of opportunity for all. Programmes of study are designed so that all pupils can make outstanding progress. We aim to celebrate the ‘achievements of all’, whilst aspiring to and appreciating professional standards of artistic excellence in relation further education and careers in The Arts.
The curriculum aims to teach from the top, offering a curriculum that promotes excellence, and encourages students to create ambitious outcomes, whilst supporting access for all, through adaptive teaching and a variety of pedagogical approaches. We aim to develop confidence and independence when making creative decisions. This is done through the sequencing of the curriculum, the building of practical skills and theoretical and disciplinary knowledge and delivering engaging and increasingly personal projects. We aim to develop creative mindset through developing higher order thinking skills, students’ ability to refine and improve work and through challenge.
Through our curriculum we aim to promote independence and resilience preparing students for lifelong learning. We aim to prepare students for the world of work, exploring the opportunities provided by new technologies in relation to extending curriculum opportunities and independent learning. We aim to provide pupils with an art education that equips learners with the necessary skills for employment in today’s creative industries. We want to incorporate digital art, photography, and graphics into the curriculum for all years. We recognise the plethora of pathways into the world of work in the creative industries, and aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge, and creative portfolios that they will need to successfully move into further education or the world of work.
Implementation
KEY STAGE 3:
At Key Stage 3 learners are offered experiences in a wide range of materials and techniques, including drawing and painting, mixed media, collage and digital media. The Key Stage 3 curriculum is specially designed to give our students rich art experience in preparation for GCSE courses.
Projects all begin with Observational Drawings, Learners then research the work of artists and designers, learning to analyse work and use this to inform their ideas. They then learn and experiment with a range of techniques and media and use this to develop creative design ideas. All projects will culminate in a final outcome.
KEY STAGE 4:
GCSE Art and Design (Edexcel)
GCSE Art Textile Design (Edexcel)
At Key Stage 4 the department offers GCSE courses in ‘Art and Design’ and ‘Textile Design’.
Over the 2-year course, learners produce one extended coursework project that will make up 60% of their overall grade and in the February of Year 11 learners begin an 8-week exam project, culminating in a 10 hour exam. This exam project makes up 40% of their overall grade.
The extended coursework project enables learners to develop personal artwork, working progressively with more confidence and independence from a given starting point or theme.
In GCSE FINE ART the extended project always starts with learners exploring a personally chosen theme, in order to promote independence, engagement and students love of their projects. They develop observational drawings based on a focus of their choice and detailed artist research and analysis in order to inform their ideas. Learners then experiment with a wide range of ideas, media. Learners are encouraged to work in a more independent manner, developing personalized coursework and making decisions about the selection and use of materials. The creative journey culminates in the development of a final piece.
In GCSE Textile Design the extended project begins with learners exploring the basic formal elements of art, followed by learning a wide range of textile techniques. They develop observational drawings based on a focus of their choice and produce detailed research into the work of their chosen artists or fashion designers in order to inform their ideas. Learner’s experiment with a wide range of ideas and textile techniques. Learners are encouraged to work in a more independent manner, developing personalized coursework, and making decisions about the selection and use of materials. Learners decide on a product for their final piece, and they design and create an item of fashion of their own choice.
KEY STAGE 5:
A Level Art and Design (OCR)
A Level Art Textiles (OCR)
A Level Art Photography (OCR)
Each course is based on independent thematic projects based on starting points such as Sanctuary, Environments, The Self, Abstract and Conceptual Art and Still Life. Learners develop themes that interest them and allow for sustained focus.
At A level learners begin year 12 with a series of workshops in order to develop knowledge, understanding, skill, accuracy and creativity. Learners then develop independent portfolios of work working through the creative process from Records of Observation (drawings, photographs), artist research, experimentation, Idea development and designing to the creation of a final outcome.