Art Department
KS3 – Course Content
Year 7
In Year 7 the programme of study is concerned with the basic elements including design. They are taught the creative, imaginative and practical skills which are needed to express ideas in a visual way.
Students are given the opportunity to explore and experiment with different media to inform themselves of its use. They relate their own work to the work of a variety of different artists to help develop their appreciation of art, craft and design.
This year the students have studied basic artistic skills in colour, texture, form, line and mood. Students are developing the ability to evaluate and respond to the approaches of others.
Thinking skills have been developed and demonstrated throughout the design process to explore ideas, media and own imagination. Numeracy skills have been used in the use of scale, proportion and design.
Year 7 topics include:
- Kandinsky – Music and Art
- Natural Forms
- 3D Cactus Sculptures
- Folk Art – Karla Gerard Landscapes
- Biology – Science and Art
Year 8
In Year 8 the programme of study is such that emphasis is placed on students working independently within a given framework. Students have been working on a mixed media painting project.
This gives students the opportunity to develop their own strengths and to extend their artistic skills and knowledge of tools and materials to produce work in a variety of media.
The use of a sketchbook as a tool for research and preparatory work is most important.
Thinking skills have been developed and are shown through demonstrating the ability to design and develop ideas.
Students are developing the ability to evaluate and respond to the approaches of others.
Thinking skills have been developed and demonstrated throughout the design process to explore ideas, media and own imagination. Numeracy skills have been used in the use of scale, proportion and design.
Year 8 topics include:
- Fauvism Windows
- Dia de los Muertos
- 3D Nichos
- Mark Making
- Clare Youngs 3D Moveable Animals
Year 9
In Year 9, the programme of study gives the students the opportunity to hone their painting and design skills. The work is aimed at combining a range of artistic elements and in developing the creative, imaginative and practical skills in design, which are needed to express ideas in a visual way. Pupils study a selection of artists, which inform their project work.
Thinking skills have been developed and demonstrated throughout the design process to explore ideas, media and their own imagination.
Year 9 topics include:
- Observational Drawing Skills
- 3D Box Coral Reefs
- Maps and Constellations
- Typography
- Celtic Art
Year 10 & 11
The GCSE Art and Design course requires students to focus on four Assessment Objectives which cover; recording ideas, observations relevant to intentions, develop ideas through investigations informed by contextual sources, refine ideas through experimenting and selecting appropriate resources, materials, techniques and processes which culminate in a personal, informed and meaningful response to the project brief.
GCSE Art and Design builds upon artistic skills through observation and experimentation. The WJEC course includes an element of writing through annotation, creative thinking and researching artists for inspiration. The two year course consists of a portfolio of coursework and an externally set exam.
Students are examined in the following units:
Unit 1 – Portfolio (60% of qualification) – Internally determined, internally assessed, externally moderated.
Unit 2 – Externally Set Assignment (40% of qualification) – Internally assessed, externally moderated.
Extra-curricular
- Conway Art Centre Residential Trip
- GCSE Art Club
- KS3 Art Club