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Art
Art is studied by all students in year 7 to 9. Students can choose to study the subject further in year 10 and 11, as one of their GCSE option choices.
Reason for sequencing the curriculum for every year group in the way it is, and the subject specific/pedagogical approach taken:
The Art Curriculum at Stradbroke is designed to build interest and passion for the subject, where students are encouraged to develop a love and appreciation for art in its many forms. Each topic covered in art is placed in a social and historical context so that students can learn to appreciate and understand its significance in history and culture. The curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences. It is designed to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of the subject.
The key concepts underpinning the teaching at all levels are introduced at the start of Key Stage 3 where students begin with a unit of work based on the ‘Formal Elements of Art and Design’. The unit has a particular focus on colour, tone, shape and form and is dedicated to embedding core knowledge of art and design practice. This allows students to explore the main thread of drawing which is a key skill needed across all year groups and provides an opportunity for the department to have a ‘baseline’ understanding of students’ abilities. As a department, we use a variety of pedagogical and subject specific approaches to teaching and learning and students’ work is assessed throughout their learning journey. Each assessment provides students with the knowledge they need to develop their work further and provides them with the opportunity to present their ideas through discussion, practical application, note taking, peer assessment and peer teaching.
Throughout Key Stage 3 and 4, we aim to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. We teach students to start thinking critically in order to develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design practice. Our lessons, therefore, aim to embed key skills and techniques, recording ideas and observations in sketchbooks as a basis for exploring ideas. Pupils will be taught to use a range of techniques and processes to record their observations, which will be assessed throughout the curriculum at increasingly advanced levels and with new content. Pupils will increase their proficiency in the handling of different materials and will learn to evaluate their work and the work of others.
The school’s commitment to literacy and reading is reinforced in art as we guide students through subject terminology and how to apply this to their work. Subject specific vocabulary is introduced to students at all levels of learning in order to embed the knowledge required and to help build confidence and develop understanding. Keywords and phrases are displayed clearly throughout the art classroom environment and used as a teaching in aid in order to encourage students to use correct terminology.
How we build on prior learning:
By the end of Year 9, a Stradbroke Art Student will have acquired a range of skills and explored varied processes and techniques to prepare them for the next level. They will have researched wide and varied artists and will be familiar with the work of different craftspeople from all cultures and backgrounds. They will also be able to use Art language when talking about art and will be able to apply this vocabulary to their work when critically analysing their work and the work of others.
Year 7
The Formal Elements, Colour and Identity:
Key Stage 3 begins with a unit ‘The Formal Elements’, dedicated to explaining and embedding core knowledge, looking at the way in which art can be communicated. This unit allows the department to baseline assess Year 7 and embed the skills, concepts and subject specific language that students will encounter throughout their art learning journey at Stradbroke High School. Students will develop an understanding of colour theory, tones, tints and shades and will explore the process of watercolour painting. They will research the artists Wassily Kandinsky and Jasper Johns and will learn how to research, respond to and evaluate their work in relation to their own investigations.
Illustration and Clay Faces:
This unit is designed to provide students with an insight into 3D design and develop further the drawing skills needed. They will gain a deeper understanding of how artists train their eyes, brain and hands to work together when drawing from observation and will learn to identify the use of mark making in the work of Illustrators. Students will learn about the artist, illustrator and film maker Tim Burton and will be inspired by his use of expression and movement in his character designs. Students will develop an understanding of how to use clay and will gain the skills and knowledge required to create a sculptural form.
Pop Art Still Life:
This unit is designed to support students further in their development of drawing and in their understanding of art movements and their cultural significance. Students will learn how to draw a series of still-life objects that they will then simplify to create bold flat shapes in the style of the Pop Artists. Pupils will recognise the work of artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein and will learn how to use colour and shape in the style of Henri Matisse to further develop their cultural understanding of the significance and impact of this Art Movement on other artists. Students will learn how to create a series of prints using traditional printmaking techniques and will understand how to apply the printmaking process to their work.
Year 8
Portraiture:
Building upon the last unit in Year 7, students continue to investigate drawing processes and techniques though the development of their work and through the exploration of the work of other artists. In this unit, students will identify key features and characteristics of portraiture. They will gain an understanding of how to correctly draw the facial features into the face using the correct proportions and will gain an understanding of how to use tone to make a 2D form look 3D. Students will learn to create a self-portrait and will explore how a range of artists approach the theme of portraiture in their work. At the end of the unit, students will be able to respond to their own identities using portraiture as a means to communicate who they are through the use of symbols and images.
Mythical Creatures:
This unit is designed to allow students to really explore their imagination and creativity in looking at how mythical creatures have been imagined and talked about over time. Students will gain knowledge of ancient mythical creatures to the more contemporary and will learn how to collage using traditional methods. The bold and stylistic features of designing a mythical creature will come in the shape of four design ideas that have been inspired by observational studies of already existing creatures and animals. They will be inspired by artists who use texture, pattern, shape and form in their work and will learn how to translate their 2D designs into 3D sculptural forms. Students will become familiar with acrylic painting techniques and will learn how to collaborate and work as a team to create their sculptural designs.
Landscapes:
Students will continue to build upon their previous knowledge and understanding of mark-making and colour techniques and will gain a deeper understanding of how landscape artists portray the landscape in their work. Pupils will focus particularly on the work of artists Van Gogh and Hundertwasser, in order to understand the cultural and historical significance of their work. They will focus particularly on how the artists use the Formal Elements in their work and will be inspired to then respond to their landscape using Photography as a means to document their ideas. Students will be asked to respond to the Suffolk/Norfolk Landscape and will apply the knowledge they gain in this unit, to select a landscape they wish to work from. Year 8 concludes with this local study and prepares students for Year 9.
Year 9
Architecture and Cityscapes:
This unit is designed to help students gain an understanding of architecture through time, the different stylistic features and the materials, processes and techniques that have inspired the development of the city. Students will investigate many cultural and architectural styles and will develop an understanding of how perspective drawing is used within the development and portrayal of buildings. Pupils will also learn about how different artists ‘decorate’ the city and how buildings have been used as a canvas for artists and their work. Our study of architecture and cityscapes will culminate in students designing their own cityscapes using a variety of styles and will encompass the learning in this unit.
Masks – The Art of Storytelling:
Students will learn to recognise how contemporary culture uses modern-day symbols/logos to represent culture and identity and will apply this to create their own mask design based on a character of their choice, using contemporary symbols. Students will gain an understanding of the stylisation and key marks/symbols used in mask making/wearing to convey meaning and tell a story. Students will learn about how to construct their artworks, learning about the importance of colour, line and the use of symbols to tell a story. The bold and stylistic features of mask making and wearing across different cultures will be looked at so students can recognise the use of symbols and colours to convey meaning. They will learn about the importance and significance of mask making/wearing and students will learn how to create a triptych using a variety of media.
Altered Images – Distortion:
This unit is designed to further prepare students for GCSE level art and design. Students will continue to develop their exploration of how to use line and tone in their drawings and how to develop their ideas into a final outcome. Students will gain an understanding of how to draw using the grid method technique in order to distort an image and draw an image with accuracy. They will learn how to use a variety of collage techniques and drawing techniques in order to distort and alter an image, researching and responding to the work of the Cubists. They will evaluate the work of Cubism in relation to their investigations, learning how images are constructed and will design a clay tile that combines tonal drawing with stylised simplified imagery – portraying a section of a still life in the cubist style.
Key Stage 4 Content:
The Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) in Art and Design consists of a Personal Portfolio worth 60% of the GCSE qualification (72 marks) and an Externally Set Assignment worth 40% of the qualification (72 marks). This qualification will be followed through the Fine Art endorsed title where students will demonstrate an understanding of drawing, mixed media, printing, painting, sculpture etc.
Students will be required to develop and demonstrate their ability to use a range of mediums through which art can be expressed. They will be required to reflect upon and refine their work as it progresses and will record their ideas, observations and insights in an A3 Sketchbook alongside more sustained out-of-book pieces. Students will be given an overall theme of study from which to start their investigations and will then independently select their own sub-theme and artists to provide independence and personal choice.
How we prepare students for the future:
The five year Art and Design Curriculum offers students a wealth of opportunities to develop and increase their skill set and creative knowledge. Through developing awareness of different artists, craftspeople and designers, alongside developing skills, processes and techniques; students are acquiring the skills and knowledge they can draw upon within a wider social context.
Art is developing pupils’ cultural capital through the development of creativity, observation, self-expression, discipline, perseverance, collaboration, risk-taking, open-mindedness and confidence. Creativity allows students to ‘think outside of the box and encourages original methods of problem-solving. When analysing and creating art, you must be aware of all of your surroundings and observe objects as they are presented in front of you. Art education gives students a safe space to explore self-expression in a supportive environment and allows them to become disciplined in the various modes of art that in turn allow them to progress. Art education teaches students not to give up, and to keep working through problem-solving, reflection, refinement and evaluation. For students to grow personally and academically, they must take risks, learning through art education gives them the confidence to try new things, experiment with the unknown and formulate their own conclusions.
Studying Art and Design can lead to a creative and varied career path. It allows students to explore the development of transferrable skills like observation, self-expression, risk-taking, confidence and collaboration. It helps to develop skills, knowledge and understanding that would be essential to any career within the creative industries. It can help provide a foundation for further educational courses, training and development within the creative subjects like a T-Level in ‘Craft and Design’, an AS/A Level in Art and Design, Photography and/or Textiles. Apprenticeships are offered within the creative fields, opportunities for Higher Education or traineeships. Examples of opportunities available within the creative industries are Fine Artist, Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Interior Designer, Art Therapist, Curator, Animator and Photographer. The transferable skills students will gain, such as creativity, analysis and problem solving, complement a range of other subjects and careers.
Additional provision to support learning:
The department has a rich library of books and these collections are designed to be accessed by all students who would like to broaden their understanding of artists, craftspeople and designers. They stretch and challenge the most able and encourage all students to expand their knowledge and understanding.
The art department has an open door policy for students to come and work during some lunchtimes and to discuss their work. Every year group has the opportunity to attend a lunchtime art club and trips and visits to enhance the students' learning experience have been offered throughout the academic year.
