Why do we learn art and design?
Head of Department
Our approach
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
GCSE Revision
Year 12
Year 13

Why do we learn art and design?

Art is a subject rich in opportunities to build powerful knowledge. When the study of art is situated in its socio-political and historical context, it can paint a picture of the whole landscape of human thought. Art and Art History are inextricably linked, and knowledge-based art analysis leads to a more powerful understanding of the social forces that shape the world. Exposure to a diverse and exciting range of artists can lead to a deeper, richer creative output from the student, benefitting them not only in art but in their wider studies.

Creativity is a crucial attribute necessary for students to thrive across the board, and art helps to develop confident, decisive, creative and empowered students. At Key Stage 4 and 5, students are given increasing freedom to make choices in what they make. As they become more independent in their practice, they have the opportunity to express their concerns about society, to explore and process their emotions, and to establish their independence through making, articulating and justifying their creative choices.

Head of Department

Our approach

Through our curriculum, students practice:

  • Creatively gathering and mapping initial ideas and wider contextual information

  • Collating and communicating ideas via images, text and textures

  • Recording ideas through visual and other means

  • Understanding and analysing sources such as artists, craftspeople and designers

  • Drawing inspiration from the methodology or concepts of artists, craftspeople and designers

  • Confidently and purposefully selecting and experimenting with a range of materials, techniques and processes

  • Designing and executing outcomes which communicate intentions and show understanding of visual language.

Once students have mastered the techniques of each module, they put those techniques into practice by designing and creating original artworks which realise their intentions and demonstrate understanding of visual language. Having acquired the necessary knowledge and skill to understand the intentions of a range of artists, they are able to confidently and competently produce both written analysis and annotations which demonstrate their critical understanding of sources.

Year 1

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Self-portraits Portraits
Spring 1 Spring 2
Sculpting with nature Painting our city
Summer 1 Summer 2
Creating a fossil Painting the waves

All Year 1 subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Design and Technology

Year 2

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Self-portraits African landscapes
Spring 1 Spring 2
Poster art Tudor houses
Summer 1 Summer 2
Portraits of explorers Decorative maps

All Year 2 subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Design and Technology

Year 3

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Self-portraits Silhouette art and framing
Spring 1 Spring 2
Henri Matisse Art and flags
Summer 1 Summer 2
Ancient Egypt Alexander Calder

All Year 3 subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Design and Technology

Year 4

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Self-portraits Roman mosaics
Spring 1 Spring 2
Pablo Picasso Benin masks
Summer 1 Summer 2
Abstract weather art American poster art

All Year 4 subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Design and Technology

Year 5

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Self-portraits Poster art - Boudicca
Spring 1 Spring 2
Dream catchers Art illusions
Summer 1 Summer 2
Henry Moore Henry Moore

All Year 5 subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Design and Technology

Year 6

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Self-portraits The art of Japan
Spring 1 Spring 2
War art Prop makers
Summer 1 Summer 2
Keith Haring Transition

All Year 6 subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Design and Technology

Year 7

Autumn 

Colour, Space and Light

  • The Formal Elements: Line, Shape, Form, Tone, Colour, Texture, Pattern, Composition.

  • How to research an artist

  • What is a transcript?

  • How do artists create perspective?

  • Who is Olafur Eliasson and what is installation art?

  • Installation art and solar technology

  • How to show design ideas.

  • How do artists influence their environments?
Spring

Kandinsky Vases

  • The symbolism and psychology behind colours

  • What is abstract art?

  • Who was Kandinsky and why is he important?

  • The use of formal elements to create abstract art.

  • How to research and write about an artist.

  • Making connections between visual and other elements (e.g. Synaesthesia)
Summer 

3D Dream Protectors

  • Mind mapping initial ideas

  • Weaving

  • 3D construction using wood and found objects

  • Which artists link to my work and how?

  • What are my aspirations for the future and how can I express them visually?

  • Recapping the Formal Elements of art.

  • How can I evaluate my own work using the Formal Elements?

All Year 7 subjects 

Year 8

Autumn 

Abstract Cityscapes

  • Perspective drawing

  • Architectural design basics

  • Selected architects and architectural movements (Gaudi and Hundertwasser)

  • How to record initial ideas
Spring

Sustainable Architecture

  • What is sustainability and how can architecture be sustainable?

  • Sustainable materials and their uses

  • Designing to a brief

  • User-centred design

  • Design thinking

  • Technical drawing and its uses
Summer 

3D Storyboxes

  • 3D construction

  • Paper sculpture 

  • Numeracy: Proportion, Scale, Division, Angles and mathematics of a successful composition

  • Rule of thirds

  • Mark-making techniques

  • Acrylic paint and collage

  • Typography and font

 

All Year 8 subjects 

Year 9

Autumn 

Surreal Creatures

  • What is Surrealism?

  • What is an art movement?

  • Write about art movements

  • Analysing an art work

  • Using tone to create dimension

  • Ink drawing

  • Collage
Spring

Still Life

  • Art movements: Vanitas, Pop Art

  • Mark-making and shading for dimension

  • Oil pastel

  • Collage

  • Artist studies

  • Typography
Summer 

3D Clay Shoes

  • Working to a design brief

  • 3D clay sculpture

  • Pattern making and tessellation

  • Fashion design

  • Observational drawing

All Year 9 subjects 

Year 10

Autumn 

Food Workshops

  • Digital and SLR photography

  • Digital editing

  • Clay sculpture

  • Fluid paintings

  • Textiles and fashion design

  • Stencil printing and graphic communication
Spring

Food Extended

  • GCSE marking criteria and Assessment Objectives

  • Mapping and recording initial ideas

  • Designing and experimenting for final piece

  • Annotations

  • Written analysis of artists

  • Creating test pieces and experiments for final pieces
Summer 

Fantastic and Strange Workshops

  • Monoprinting

  • Digital workshops

  • Paper marbling

  • Textile design

  • Photo manipulation and editing

  • Textile design and paper stitching

All Year 10 subjects 

Year 11

Autumn 

Fantastic and Strange Extended

  • Gathering and mapping research into themes, drawing on internal and external resources

  • Mood board making

  • Photography to support exploration of ideas

  • Extended artist research skills

  • Independent final piece planning and execution

  • Justifying creative choices
Spring

Exam Unit

  • (Content set by exam board)

  • Utilizing all practical and analytical skills to plan and create project

  • Working to a brief

  • Time management and organisational skills

  • Self-directed project planning

  • Critical evaluation and responding to feedback
Summer 

 

All Year 11 subjects 

Year 12

Autumn 

Art and Design Workshops

  • Installation

  • Life drawing

  • Performance Art

  • Oil and acrylic techniques

  • Photography

  • Textiles and fabric
Spring

Art and Design Personal Investigation

  • Gathering and mapping research into themes, drawing on internal and external resources

  • Extended essay writing

  • Visual communication

  • Photoshoots and documentation

  • Extended artist research skills

  • Independent final piece planning and execution

  • Justifying creative choices
Summer 

Art and Design Personal Investigation

  • Gathering and mapping research into themes, drawing on internal and external resources

  • Extended essay writing

  • Visual communication

  • Photoshoots and documentation

  • Extended artist research skills

  • Independent final piece planning and execution

  • Justifying creative choices

All Year 12 subjects Next Year 12 Subject - Biology

Year 13

Autumn 

Art and Design Personal Investigation

  • Gathering and mapping research into themes, drawing on internal and external resources

  • Extended essay writing

  • Visual communication

  • Photoshoots and documentation

  • Extended artist research skills

  • Independent final piece planning and execution

  • Justifying creative choices
Spring

Exam Unit

  • (Content set by exam board)

  • Working to a brief

  • Utilizing all practical and analytical skills to plan and create project

  • Time management and organisational skills

  • Self-directed project planning

  • Critical evaluation and responding to feedback
Summer 

 

All Year 13 subjects Next Year 13 Subject - Biology