Art & Design
Department Vision
An art education goes beyond nurturing raw talent or encouraging creativity. It is about developing fundamental skills through deliberate, structured teaching. Today’s learners are tomorrow’s artists, craftspeople, photographers, and designers. We are committed to providing our students with a strong artistic foundation that empowers them to thrive. This approach will cultivate a passion for learning and equip students with the tools they need for further study and future careers.
We believe in providing students with opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. Through a range of extracurricular activities and enrichment programs, students will have the chance to broaden their horizons and enrich their lives. By the end of their journey, we aim for our students to be confident, dynamic practitioners, critical thinkers and informed consumers of Art, Craft, and Design.
Curriculum Design
The art and design curriculum is built around three core principles: practical, theoretical, and disciplinary knowledge. Practically, students develop the skills to make informed artistic choices, exploring a wide range of mediums such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital media. Theoretically, they connect art’s past, present, and future, gaining a deep understanding of key artists, movements, and the cultural evolution of art forms. Disciplinary knowledge encourages students to engage in critical thinking, form aesthetic judgments, and participate in the discourse of artists, scholars, and critics, fostering a comprehensive and reflective approach to art. This holistic approach ensures students are equipped to create, analyse, and appreciate art in both personal and broader cultural contexts.
Throughout the curriculum, students work towards four key end points:
End Point 1: Fluency and confidence in the use of visual arts media, demonstrating a sound understanding of the materials and techniques they use. (Practical skills)
End Point 2: Understanding of historical and contemporary art, key art movements, artists, and the cultural, historical, and social events that influence them. (Art History)
End Point 3: Undertaking personal investigations that demonstrate confidence in developing, refining, and communicating their own ideas and intentions from varying starting points. (Process)
End Point 4: Confidently critiquing, analysing, and discussing Art and Design in visual, written, and oral forms. (Disciplinary)
Curriculum Intent
The documents below display the KS4 Art, craft and Design curriculum and the Textiles curriculum. A key part of the document is the core knowledge section which states the knowledge that we believe all KS4 students should embed within their long term memory in order to be success in either Art and Design or Textiles. This list should be used to prioritise your revision before moving onto deeper knowledge within the curriculum.
KS4 Art and Design Curriculum Intent
KS4 Textiles Curriculum Intent
Staff/Context
- Miss L Tattersall, Head of Department
- Mrs L Manning
- Mrs R Doherty-Kirkwood
Enrichment and Extra-Curricular
The Art Department provides opportunities for pupils in KS3 to attend afterschool art clubs throughout the year. We provide an open-door afterschool drop-in policy for KS4 pupils alongside afterschool intervention opportunities.
Visits to Art Galleries enhance the pupils Artist and creative knowledge and learning.
