The Vision for the ‘Arts Department’ is to provide a broad informative and exciting curriculum in Art & Design for all students, of all abilities, throughout the Key Stages. We believe that all students are creative, and from this premise, we try to nurture and develop technical skills across all of the art disciplines of Fine art, Art textiles, Graphic design and 3d studies. Within lessons, students will build not only a range of skills but also develop their critical and contextual awareness of creative practitioners, art movements as well as expanding their comprehension of ideas.

In key stage 3 we cover a broad range of topics from pop art to portraits.  We learn about African art and graffiti and this year we have made African masks after we have researched their history and cultural importance.  Students explore practical and contextual work through a range of 2D and/or 3D processes and new media and technologies. The have the opportunity to experiment with  experiment with drawing and painting, mixed media, print and sculpture.   Students research artists and visit the National Gallery to explore art styles and experience culture and how art has reflected society’s changes.

In key stage 4 we cover the BTEC Level 1 Introductory Diploma in Art and Design where we cover some great topics:

• Creating an Art Image
• Creating a 3D Art Object
• Presenting an Image Using a Camera
• Designing a Product
• Planning and Marketing an Exhibition
• Creating a Mood Board
• Creating an Artefact Using Clay
• Creating Prints

Students will produce a portfolio of coursework, gaining confidence in the formal elements, such as colour, tone and line, whilst exploring a diverse range of media and techniques. They will gain greater confidence in their observational drawing skills and will work from diverse themes and concepts, in both two and three –dimensions. Students are encouraged to develop their own sense of visual language, making connections between their own work and that of others. They develop greater independence as the course progresses, exploring their ideas in a rigorous and thought provoking way and synthesising their ideas with the work of artists. Students will also create a body of personal work and ideas for the Examination Units.