Art & DESIGN- Learning journey & curriculum

The importance of Art education is to enable pupils to develop confidence in their creativity through learning practical skills and techniques and in developing their opinions, ideas and imagination in order to transform lives.

The Art Curriculum from Yr 7 – 13 creates opportunities to establish mastery of the visual elements and confidence in knowledge. The transition between KS2 and KS3 transforms prior primary experience into a foundation of knowledge and mastery technical skills for all. Between Year 7 and 9 students build on the previous years’ practical skills and knowledge through increasingly complex themes preparing them for KS4. This includes developing visual digital skills applicable to Graphics.

At KS4, GCSE Fine Art and Graphics are offered, allowing students to specialise in career pathways depending on personal interests and practical strengths (inspiring futures). Challenge occurs in the technical mastery and Independent work undertaken as they begin to think and work like a Fine Artist or Graphic Designer.

At KS5 3 A levels Fine Art, Graphics and Photography are offered with the focus on developing a Personal Investigation project. Exposure to careers occurs with external speakers and gallery trips. Futures are inspired through alumni examples and students prepare portfolios for Degree interviews.

At KS3 students begin to think, talk and write like an artist using Who? When? Where? What? Ways? key facts in sketchbooks. Quizzing and Knowledge Goal booklets provide vocabulary rich subject specific definitions. At KS4 Fundamental Knowledge booklets support analysis and writing a brief in Graphics. At KS5 a formalised essay is submitted preparing them for Degree courses

The KS3 curriculum spiralises, building on the previous years’ practical skills and knowledge for example:

Year 7 – Control and Mastery Dexterity – Foundation of Key Skills involves mastery of drawing objects in line and tone studying Michael Craig Martin and Jim Dine. In Year 8 this builds with Expression and Imagination – Revisit Key Skills which involves mastery of revisiting drawing in portraits studying proportion drawing and chiaroscuro tone.

In Year 9 – Wider social application – Option Year Careers Focus involves the mastery of Art disciplines e.g. graphics drawing includes stylisation and perspective in typography.

At KS4 GCSE, workshops raise aspiration opportunities and develop key skills students need to complete independent projects. Higher level assessment objectives of analysis and evaluation are covered in two GCSE projects which embed specific knowledge and skills improving independence for the Exam.

Finally, at KS 5 A level ‘exceptional’ schemes of learning (AQA Examiner report 2023) enable students to become skilled practitioners. A2 digital printers, SLR cameras and printing presses challenge scale in work along with conceptual ideas. Personal Investigation Independent projects prepare students for Degree courses or to enter the industry.

Our inclusive and diverse curriculum allows students to feel comfortable in expressing themselves and taking risks without fear of failure or judgement. At each Key Stage Art mastery is taught through chunking, modelling and scaffolding ensuring accessibility for all.

Homework and independent responses ensure accessibility for all with disadvantaged pupils being provided with resources to prevent gaps forming and to allow their progression.

High quality teaching, strategic seating plans and passports supports student safety and targeted guidance for SEND needs. With regards to Cultural/Historical Capital – KS3 students develop knowledge of Genres, Artists and Cultures as well as a wider understanding of Arts’ role as a form of historical communication or belief for example Totem Art at Year 8 has developed.

Contemporary media themes and concepts of Popular culture, Celebrity, War and Politics are covered and challenged in Year 9 Pop Art and Basquiat. At KS4 and 5 students specialise in a personal independent theme and dig deeper with recommended cultural or contextual links provided.

The curriculum is planned to deepen learning over time by revisiting and building on the Visual Elements skills and mastery from the previous year.

Knowledge and Mastery – Revisiting Visual Elements throughout KS3
Yr 7 learn measuring proportion of objects and developing tonal shading to more complex anatomy measuring proportions in portraits in year 8 with realism of tonal shading using pencils and chiaroscuro. Students become more able to develop sophisticated responses and techniques through the sequencing of the projects in each year and key stage.

Assessment
At KS3 an observation drawing assessment sets a benchmark grade for each pupil. Assessment in formative feedback and summative pieces is used with three interim mastery tasks a term. KS4 and KS5 Assessment is linked with AQA assessment objectives. Students and teachers regularly RAG rate work and sketchbook marking provide targets to improve final outcomes using Fix it time.