Art

In Art we are committed to developing pupil’s individual creativity and visual confidence with a broad and varied range of materials and processes. Sketchbooks are used to document learning, evidence drawing, painting, critical understanding and planning for final outcomes to Projects. Sketchbooks are regularly assessed with comments to enable review and refinement to take place. To celebrate progress we exhibit pupil and student work every year in the local community and at school, along with regular entry into local and National Art competitions.

Pinterest site showing examples of pupil art work: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/MrLongmuir/

Key Stage 3

Art Projects in this Key Stage are focussed on specific materials with a clear outcome that develop research skills. There are three main Projects each year and these develop confidence with drawing, painting and clay. These skills are developed throughout this key stage and in year 9 there is more independent decision making which prepares pupils for GCSE Art. Pupils study artist’s work to gain critical understanding and use drawing to help communicate and understand the visual world. They then plan the final outcome for their Project before they make it. Research is evidenced in their own sketchbook which becomes a document of individual progress. Teacher comments and regular assessments provide essential feedback which enables review and refinement to take place. There is more detail about the specific Art Projects listed below:

Year 7

· ‘Crazy Creature’ Clay Project

· ‘Underwater’ painting and printing Project

· ‘Close-up’ drawing and mixed media Project

Year 8

· ‘Fauvism’ drawing and mixed media project

· Clay ‘Character’ Project

· ‘Hockney’ Landscape Project, drawing & painting

Year 9

· ‘This is Me’ drawing and painting Project

· ‘Gaudi’ Clay Pot Project

· ‘Environment Sketchbook’ Project, drawing and painting

Key Stage 4

For GCSE Art the students build upon the independence that they began to exercise in Y9 and create two Coursework Projects from September in Y10 to December in Y11. The first project exercises a variety of drawing, painting and photographic skills including acrylic and oil painting based on the theme of ‘Disguise’. The second Project begins with a choice of seven starting points and the students create artwork based on their chosen theme. They learn how to create evidence for the four Assessment Objectives and develop own skills and confidence with a variety of drawing, painting, photographic and clay modelling experiences. As the project evolves they begin to make more decisions to support their own creative taste and interest. They are regularly supported with assessment and comments in their sketchbook, which enables accurate reviewing and refinement to take place. These two Projects comprise 60% of the Final Grade and the students will know what mark is going to be sent to the Exam Board, which ensures that they are fully informed of progress achieved.

From January in Y11 they begin the External Assignment Project, which begins with a research trip to the Liverpool or Manchester Art Galleries. This Project has the same four Assessment Objectives that the students used for the previous Coursework Project and they are expected to manage the process with more independence. The Final Piece requires two full days of time in exam conditions to ensure that the exam board requirements are met. The students will get regular feedback to support their progress and ensure that they are meeting their own independent targets. In line with Ofqual requirements, the students will also know the scores that they have achieved at the end of the project.

Exam Board: AQA Art & Design (Fine Art)

For further details please visit: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/gcse

Key Stage 5

This is a two year course which is designed to develop the general skills accrued at GCSE level to the advanced stage. Y12 is an exploratory year for the students to exercise skills to a higher level and to take risks to enable greater confidence and understanding to occur. The students create two projects from September to February and from February to May. The first project is ‘Freechoice’ from a list of possible starting points and evidence is produced for the four Assessment Objectives as required at GCSE level. The second project is a Mock Exam Project carried out in parallel with the A level students. The work produced is regularly assessed and feedback is given to enable the students to review and refine their progress, but the scores are not entered to the exam board.

In June the students begin the A level course with a series of drawing and painting workshops which develop confidence with observational skills. There are also trips to Sheffield Hallam University Arts Degree shows and to the Chesterfield Art Foundation Exhibition. This is designed to broaden their outlook on possible future experiences in the Creative Industries. We also visit several major Art Galleries in London to help initiate the ‘Personal Investigation’ Project. This results in a large-scale artwork, which is exhibited in the Chesterfield Schools Art Exhibition in October. The students then create their own project responding to experiences in the summer by providing evidence for the four Assessment Objectives. Feedback is regular and consistent to enable effective reviewing and refining to take place to ensure that students are performing to their required level for UCAS applications. This project is worth 60% of the final award and the students know what scores have been achieved.

At the beginning of February the External Assignment Project begins with the same format as before. The students create evidence for the four assessment objectives till early May when marks are submitted to the exam board. The final piece requires three full days in exam conditions to produce work in 15 hours. The students will get regular feedback to support their progress and ensure that they are meeting their own independent targets. In line with Ofqual requirements, the students will also know the scores that they have achieved at the end of the project.

Exam Board: AQA Art & Design (Fine Art)

For further details please visit: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/as-and-a-level/art-and-design

For further information about the Art curriculum please contact:

Craig Longmuir – Head of Art Department