Art & Photography
Contact
Head of Art & Photography - Miss D Hennan
Subject Overview
In Art & Photography we provide opportunities for every learner to express their creativity through the visual arts. We have several different projects and themes within each year group to allow students to experience and participate in learning new cultures and processes of creating art and photography as well as studying artists and photographers from many different backgrounds.
We begin Year 7 by exploring the formal elements of art such as line, tone, texture, colour, shape, and patterns; these skills are paramount in producing any type of artwork and develop students’ art skills from primary to secondary level.
As students’ progress through the years, they will develop their analytical skills to be able to express and articulate in writing their opinions and the links between their work and artists.
Click here to view the Curriculum Overview
Key Stage 3 Overview
We follow the National Curriculum for Art at Key Stage 3. Within our projects, we ensure we cover a wide range of topics, themes and cultures including Mexican Art, Microscopic Art and Architecture. We also aim to inspire student creativity by exposing them to different media, materials, and processes.
Key Stage 4 Overview
We follow the AQA Art & Design specifications for both ‘Fine Art’ & ‘Photography’. Component 1 is portfolio of work produced over Year 10 and 11 which consists of 60% coursework (96 marks) covering all four AQA assessment objectives. Coursework delivered will demonstrate a clear journey from starting point to end outcome in the project, producing a meaningful and purposeful final piece. Component 2 is an externally set assignment (ESA) paper from AQA relating to either the Fine Art or Photography qualification. Students will need to cover all four assessment objectives, accounting for 40% of the GCSE (96 marks). There will be a preparatory period followed by 10 hours of supervised examination time.
Fine Art provides opportunities for students to explore their ideas, convey an experience or respond to a theme. Students must develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills specified in the specification and within the context of Fine Art practice. Students will be assessed based on the four assessment objectives focusing on their drawing, painting, and mixed media as areas of study.
In Photography, we produce manipulated photographs by experimenting with Adobe Photoshop to digitally enhance imagery, along with some mixed-media practice. We explore a range of topics including urban environments, portraiture and the natural world in photography. Students will be assessed on photographic techniques such as experimenting with composition rules, lighting, viewpoint, camera angles, and also their knowledge of using the exposure triangle (Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO).
Key Stage 5 Overview
We follow the AQA Art & Design specification for both ‘Art, Craft & Design’, ‘Photography’ and ‘Graphic Communication’. Our schemes of work cover the AQA A Level assessment objectives allowing students to explore and experience a range of two/three-dimensional media, techniques and processes using traditional and new media. Students will present their work in the forms of an e-portfolio for digital courses and a portfolio of sketchbooks and preparation sheets for Art courses.
In Year 13, component 1 is a personal project (worth 60%) and Component 2 is an externally set assignment (worth 40%). The personal project prepares students for university and involves a 1000 – 3000 word written component investigating and exploring appropriate research, requiring students to analyse and evaluate. Component 1 emphasizes the development of skills, using an array of media, materials, techniques, and processes. Students create a portfolio showing progression and development of ideas using a range of media, techniques, and processes. Portfolios will have written materials such as annotations, reflections, evaluations, and historical connections, contextualising their own work. Educational trips to Manchester, London, visiting galleries and museums will broaden their knowledge.
The written material and practical work are assessed together using the four assessment objectives which is based on the AQA assessment marking grid, with each worth 24 marks, a total of 96. Formative and summative marking is completed on all work, along with regular verbal and written feedback to aid students to progress.