Creativity and resilience are qualities highly prized in today’s workplace. The study of art and textiles gives students the opportunity to develop lifelong transferable skills whilst doing something creative that they enjoy.
Miss Rapple, Subject Coordinator
How we organise learning
In Key Stage 3, students develop their basic artistic skills during two main projects which are run in a carousel rotation with music and drama. They focus on drawing, painting, planning, evaluation and producing a final outcome.
Art in Year 7
In Year 7 students will complete a project based on the work of pop artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. They will also use the Mersey Ferries Razzle Dazzle ship as inspiration to create a series of drawn, painted and coloured pieces.
Last year, Year 7 students completed projects based on the theme of pop art, using food as the subject of their pieces. They learnt basic drawing and painting skills and how to create a 3D piece.
“In the examples below, Year 7 students have finished creating cardboard cakes in the style of the artist Patianne Stevenson as part of their pop art food project. Students have used a variety of materials to create drawings, paintings and sculptures based on the pop art movement.” Miss Rapple
Art in Year 8
In Year 8, students will expand on the drawing techniques developed during Year 7 by completing a drawing project based on the theme of graffiti and street art. They will use pencil, colour pencil, watercolour, oil pastels and collage to produce a series of pieces based on graffiti art.
Art in Key Stage 4
Examination Board: AQA
Specification Name: GCSE Art and Design
Component: Art, Craft and Design
Link: Art, Craft and Design
Students begin their GCSE course in Year 9 where they further develop their drawing skills. They complete a four-week introduction project, learning how to observe objects correctly and the principles of shading. They then go on to complete a number of projects across a number of disciplines. They can then choose from a wide range of materials, techniques and processes for subsequent projects.
During Year 10 students undertake a number of projects across different disciplines of art including, painting, sculpture & drawings. They develop independence and the ability to run their own projects with their own reference material and ideas for their pieces.
Year 11 begins with a mock controlled assessment to prepare students for the externally set task which begins in January of Year 11 and makes up 40% of their overall grade. This gives students an idea of what to expect from the exam and experience of working independently to a tight time schedule.
Click the image below to see examples of Year 10 work-in-progress from October 2018.
Check out these examples of Year 9 work from 2017-2018 from Lidia Majewska, Amelia McEleavey, Chloe St Ledger and Katie Lane.
“Year 9 GCSE students have been learning the basics of 3D fine art drawing, using objects of natural form as their inspiration. They have been taught how to build up a drawing using layers and basic shapes as a foundation. They have also been developing their shading skills using a variety of techniques & materials.” Miss Rapple
