Creating Ideas Through Images

Visual arts deliver an exciting and dynamic arts education that encompasses arts from other times and cultures. By using different media and techniques students can explore different creative media. As students progress through each key stage, the students use more challenging and difficult techniques in their projects. History of art underpins nearly all projects as a means to help students explore the diversity of art and how it has changed the world we live in.

Art is a popular subject with students at both KS3 and KS4, and Photography is always over subscribed. Teaching in the department has also been consistently rated as Outstanding, and the department have been awarded the ArtsMark.

Our Approach

The Visual Arts team provides an exciting and stimulating arts education. New projects are sourced at the start of each academic year to ensure teaching is fresh and interesting. Projects are adapted and refined to cater to individual learning, ensuring the all students of all needs and abilities have the chance to enjoy success.

Key Stage 3

Visual arts at KS3 is focused on exploring different media and experimenting with different skills through project work. Students work on several assignments, such as drawing and creation of 3D masks.

Key Stage 4

At this level, the emphasis is on the process of developing both ideas and work, using a Work Journal. In both Art & Design and Photography, the coursework and exam are based on a final piece of creative work, involving the evaluation, analysis, development and exploration of techniques and ideas which students present.

Students develop an understanding of past and contemporary art, imagination and the skills to express their feelings in an historical context. Many students continue to advanced qualifications at Art College or University.

Resources

Classrooms are well stocked and where possible new and exciting materials are introduced each year for students to explore. Both classrooms have interactive whiteboards which help bring history of art lessons to life for the students.

• After College club
• Saturday revision sessions (Year 11)
• Half term and Easter revision
• Networking with other colleges
• Close links with the Exam Board
• Field trips, i.e. for drawing and photography