ART,DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

              Art & Design

Where is Art & Design taught?

The Art room is well resourced with equipment and materials. All pupils have a box containing their own equipment, pens and pencils and folders to keep their work safe and organised. There are eight computers with up to date software and all pupils are encouraged to use modern technology as a part of each term’s task. 

All pupils present their term’s work in task presentation folders; these help show development and progression of knowledge, understanding and skills taught. This is the same way that the GCSE work is presented and so helps with the transition from Foundation to GCSE options. 

Furthermore, the following subjects are also taught on a carousel in the Foundation years:

• Food Technology
• Graphics
• Textiles
• Resistant Materials

In addition to the Art room we also have a fully equipped workshop for use in Resistant Materials to allow the students to construct and build projects utilising the skills they have learnt in the classroom.

               Foundation

Number of lessons per week:  2 Lessons per week.

                 Overview

Each lesson is part of a yearly plan that is then broken down into termly Tasks or Modules.  Each of these is broken down further into lesson objectives.

Using Classroom Monitor to assess the skills and abilities of the students, we tailor the Foundation curriculum to ensure that all students are challenged and supported to make the most of their potential in the subject. We offer a range of creative and challenging tasks, with the emphasis on personalisation and challenge.   

                Key Stage 4

Core/Option

Qualification:  GCSE Art, Craft and Design covering five specialist endorsements Fine Art, Graphic Communication, 3D Craft and Design, Photography and Textiles.             

Examination Board:   AQA

 Number of lessons per week:  3 Lessons

               Overview

2 Year Course producing a comprehensive Portfolio of work and a Externally Set Assignment, enabling pupils to fulfil the exam board criteria.

This is achieved through 1 theory lesson and 2 practical lessons per week.

    Art & Design (Photography)

Our approach to the Curriculum in Photography

The main objective of the Photography department is to provide the students with the knowledge and skills to pass GCSE Art & Design (Photography). Students are encouraged to express their artistic ideas using digital photography through the medium of a camera. They are taught how to research the ideas and skills of both artists and photographers and be able to interpret their findings within their own work.

Where is Photography taught?

The department is well resourced with a variety of different cameras and lenses from DSLR’s to good quality, ‘point and shoot’ cameras. The students are taught to use a variety of editing software to change and experiment with their images, including Microsoft Picture Manager and Photoshop, and many classroom props are provided to support them with their creative needs.

Many photography trips are organised each year, sometimes to urban environments like Bristol and Bath or to rural spots such as Roundway Hill. Often tailor made trips and assignments are organised close to school or within school itself depending on individual needs.

Area of Study

Students are required to work in one or more area(s) of Photography, such as those listed below. They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas:

• portraiture
• landscape photography (working from the urban, rural and/or coastal environment)
• still life photography (working from objects or from the natural world)
• documentary photography, photojournalism
• fashion photography
• experimental imagery
• multimedia
• photographic installation
• moving image (video, film, animation).

Photography is offered as a Key Stage 4 option subject. Some ideas and skills may be taught at Foundation within the Art syllabus but not as a specific, stand-alone subject.

               Key Stage 4

Option

Qualification: GCSE

Examination Board: AQA

Number of lessons per week: 3 one hour lessons

To find out more about what is taught in each of these modules you will find more detail at AQA website under Art and Design (photography)

 In addition, at Key Stage 4, Students may also choose to study one of the following options:

• Food technology
• 3D design