Art and Design
The Art department envisions developing both the academic and cultural aspects of a student’s life. We aim to develop the girls in our lessons into confident individuals who can use the power of the visual language to explore issues, ideologies and situations in a variety of ways. As girls progress through the key stages we aim to develop and engender key learning habits (in particular Risk Taking and Perseverance) in order to create a learning experience in Art that the girls will find informative and memorable. We wish to develop students who will be able to create, explore and respond to all manner of influences during their work in the department. They will engage with this and develop in a disciplined manner at all times while retaining their individuality. The department continues to grow from strength to strength in all of the above aspects.
The aims and values of the department
- All students are treated equally regardless of their innate skills in the subject or their qualities as performers.
- That respect and recognition for the student’s work in class is at the core of the student’s confidence development in the subject.
- To expose the students to a large variety of techniques and skills so that they can specialise in particular elements of the subject.
- To enable students to place the work within the social, cultural, political or historical context within which it is placed.
- To enable students to learn a variety of skills that will give them a large amount of creative freedom in their emerging work.
- To develop our students into effective and reflective practitioners.
- To teach skills and habits in a variety of contexts and not ‘isolation tasks’ so that students can apply these skills in a number of situations and become more flexible learners.
Staff
Mr. N Bassett Head of Department
Mr. R Parkinson Teacher of Art and design
Mrs. L Kelly Classroom assistant and technical support
Mr. J Coleman Technical support
Curriculum
Key stage 3
Which topics your daughter will study
At key stage 3 the emphasis of the course is to develop student’s technical ability whilst providing opportunities to make connections with Art, Craft and Design. It is intended that this will enable them to gain a knowledge and understanding of the wider context within which their work is placed drawing on this to make informed decisions and develop personal responses to project briefs.
In year 7 student’s work on a range of projects including portraiture, adornment and Interlocking shapes. These projects will cover formal elements exploring line, tone, colour, form, composition, pattern and shape.
In year Eight students explore three dimensional art by mask making and constructing in clay. These projects are designed to enable students to translate their two dimensional planning into actual forms.
In year Nine students continue to build on their practical skills and begin to explore the work of other artists in more depth. This takes the form of a project on ‘life changing events ‘ where the girls explore visual qualities in photojournalism and painting. This is a painting project which eventually covers expressionism. In addition students in year 9 will investigate album cover design and a project on Surrealism.
What your daughter may do in lessons
Your daughter will explore the properties and appropriateness of a wide range of media through a process of investigating and making. She will be encouraged to experiment in order to make personal responses to project briefs. Drawing activities will take place as part of every project and your daughter will learn about mark making, tonal progression and cross hatching techniques in order to develop observational skills. Your daughter will take part in a range of group and paired discussion in order to analyse and evaluate each other’s work and that of other artists. This will include exploring art from different times and places. She will also work collaboratively on larger scale work. Developing key learning habits is central to each project and your daughter will be set tasks to learn how and why perseverance, risk taking, noticing, listening, questioning, collaborating, analysing and evaluating are integral aspects of learning and improving.
How your daughter will be assessed
At key stage three formative assessments take place every three weeks in the form of written and verbal feedback related to each set task. In addition your daughter will be involved in a series of self and peer assessment activities designed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the assessment criteria and how emerging work can be improved. Summative assessment takes place at the end of each half term. Key stage three assessment taxonomy is used to familiarise students with National curriculum levels. This document enables students to see precisely where their work fits in and what they need to do to improve. The taxonomy is based on National Curriculum levels but is designed to link in with the GSCE assessment criteria ensuring a natural transition into key stage Four.
Key stage Four
Which topics will your daughter study and what might she do in lessons?
Key stage Four begins with a project entitled ‘objects in a jar’. This will offer your daughter opportunities to learn about formal elements in depth. The project begins with a series of drawing exercises using a range of media including pencil, ink, charcoal and paint. Through a series of observational and mark making tasks students are challenged to experiment with visual qualities exploring scale, composition, tone and texture. The emphasis is on improving technical ability and observational skills as well as breaking down pre conceived ideas and established styles of working that might hinder progress. The theme of ‘reflections’ is used to introduce new techniques and process which include lino printing, Perspex etching and painting. Year ten students are taught how to keep a work journal and they will be encouraged to record information by drawing and gathering a wide range of material relevant to their work. They will also be taught how to experiment with media and refine and modify their work as it progresses. A visit to various London museums and galleries in June enables students to contextualise their emerging work and learn how to be analytical in their approach. Your daughter will complete year Ten by producing work on the theme of portraiture. This provides an opportunity to refine the skills that they have learnt and benefit from a degree of freedom both in terms of media processes and techniques and in the way that the project is interpreted.
In year Eleven students are encouraged to take a more independent and proactive approach. There is more emphasis on making informed connections with the work of other artists, craftspeople and designers as well as the continued development of technical skills. Throughout year eleven students explore the theme of personal identity. As the project matures your daughter will be expected to interpret this theme in an original and independent way with the freedom to employ most of the resources the department can offer. This project will end in February when the students receive the externally set examination.
Syllabus information
Examination board : AQA
Two internally set coursework units. Set and marked by the centre and externally moderated. Worth 60% of the overall mark
One externally set task. Question papers issued to year 11 students in February offering an unlimited preparatory period culminating in a timed 10 hour period of sustained study. Internally marked and externally moderated. Worth 40% of the overall mark.
External examination
Students now have a longer preparatory period which begins from February of the examination year. Students will cover the same assessment criteria expected for the coursework elements. One or more pieces of final work can be completed but students should complete a piece of work which is informed by preparatory work over a 10 hour timed period. All of the work produced for the examination will be marked and moderated.
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Specific requirements
Students wishing to take GCSE Art and Design should be;
Well organised and hard working. The assessment criteria demands an exhaustive approach and students must be prepared to sustain their investigations and not fall behind on coursework.
Self motivated. Students will be required to investigate given themes in a personal way and be willing to pursue the subject beyond the classroom.
Analytical. A questioning mind is important. Students should justify their opinions, ideas, observations, preferences and judgements and make informed decisions regarding their own work and connections with the work of others.
Willing to experiment in a range of media, processes and resources. Students should enjoy discovering new ways of working learning more about the properties and appropriateness of different media. Exploring a range of new techniques and processes as well as exploiting those that are tried and tested.
It is far more important to carry the above attributes than it is to be ‘technically gifted’ although good drawing, observational and creative skills are an advantage
Attraction to the subject
Art and design GCSE is totally absorbing, highly creative and it allows students the opportunity to express their ideas in diverse and personal ways. There is a wide range of techniques, processes and media to explore and students have the freedom to select which direction their work may take. The subject also teaches students to interpret the visual world in greater detail applying an analytical approach to all types of imagery. Learning about the world of art and design also enables students to make many connections with other subjects as they learn about the wider cultural, historical, social and political context within which their work is placed. There are many career opportunities directly linked to qualifications in Art, craft and design. Students who choose alternative career paths can still benefit from the analytical skills, personal discipline and creativity instilled in this subject.
Specification content
Over the two year course students are taught about processes, techniques, concepts and ideas. The emphasis in year 10 is on building technical skills in a range of media. This begins by investigating formal elements (line, tone, form, colour etc) through a range of set tasks and personal exploration. Once experience is gained in a broad range of approaches thematic connections are added to the projects. Students in year 10 will select a specific theme such as landscape, portraiture or album cover design. Alternatively they may prefer a more general theme such as ‘contrast’, ‘natural and manmade forms’ or ‘growth and decay’ allowing the project to take a meandering route toward a final outcome.
The emphasis in year 11 is to develop the students understanding of the wider context of art, craft and design making informed connections with the work of other artists. Students will continue to develop their ideas, experiment in a range of media, reviewing and modifying their work. But they will be taught to do so by analysing the visual world around them and justifying the decisions they make. The bulk of the coursework will take place in work journals but students will also be obliged to produce three dimensional models, design sheets and other preparatory material toward informed final outcomes. It is expected that students complete at least one full work journal for each coursework unit from which they will produce at least one final outcome
Assessment
Throughout the course formative assessment takes the form of written and verbal feedback. This is specific to each assessment objective. Students are involved in a series of self and peer assessment tasks designed to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the assessment criteria and subsequently how they can improve their work. Summative assessment is provided at intervals throughout the course where students are expected to meet regular coursework deadlines. The marks they accrue will contribute to the overall mark awarded by the centre. This mark will then be moderated by an external examiner and a final grade awarded. The GCSE assessment taxonomy is used throughout in order to enable students to see exactly where marks have been awarded according to each objective.
At the end of the course coursework and examination work will be assessed by the centre and presented for external moderation. Students should be aware that they must ensure deadlines are met and that they are responsible for the way in which their work is presented. Students will be given help and advised on presentation and on which work is selected for final assessment.
Possible career opportunities
Fine art practitioner, painting, print making and sculpture
Graphic design. Advertising. Web design. Illustration. Fashion design. Textile design. Jewellery and silver smithing. Product design. Art and artefact restoration. Art historian. Gallery and museum curator. Teaching and lecturing
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