Art and Design

Key Stage 3

Intent:

At Brayton Academy, we recognise the importance of Art and Design in society and industry. We recognise that Art and Design is both a form of communication and a means of expressing ideas and feelings. We see this subject as a language that compliments other areas, but stress that Art and Design is especially concerned with the development of those complex mental processes involved in visual perception and aesthetic experience. Our expectations of students are high; we expect them to take pride in their work and always strive to do their best. In return, we work hard to provide stimulating lessons and offer all students, whatever their ability, the opportunity to maximise their potential.

Our curriculum gives every student the opportunity to access a variety of different media and materials, encouraging the development of a strong and diverse skill set. Alongside the physical expansion of skills, students are encouraged to build upon their resilience using our range of equipment within the Art department. Students build up their confidence using the basic skills in year 7 and continue to apply these throughout their whole Art and Design journey at Brayton. The encouragement to self-evaluate and analyse both their own, their peers and the work of other artists motivates students to progress and refine their Art skills. Students have the opportunity to progress further in the subject, in year 9 and for GCSE and, as passionate Art and Design teachers, we support their aspirational pathway through problem solving, exploration of a wide range of materials and investigative study. We cater our individual teaching styles to the specific needs of our students and reinforce tasks with clear demonstrations.

The aims of the Art and Design Department are –

• To provide enjoyment and creative stimulation in a safe environment.
• To help ALL students gain confidence in their own ability and achieve success.
• To enable ALL students to learn technical skills through experimentation with different techniques and materials.
• To enable students to develop an appreciation and understanding of different types of Art and Design from our own and other cultures and encourage positive attitudes.

Implementation:

Year 7

All students have one lesson of Art each week. During these lessons, they are introduced to some of the formal elements of Art and Design. Work is developed around various themes and the work of other artists and cultures is introduced. Students are encouraged to experiment with new techniques and materials.

Year 8

Students continue to have 1 lesson of Art a week. All Art and Design projects identify and adhere to the National Curriculum guidelines. Teachers in the department work together to plan appropriate assignments that ensure preparation for KS4 learning. We ensure that each project builds on previous learning and experience, aiming for continuity without unnecessary repetition. The scheme of learning concentrates on 3 main areas of study: Drawing skills, Printing/Mixed Media and 3D Design. We promote different ways of working: individually, in pairs and in groups.

Year 9

In Year 9, students can opt to study Art and will receive two lessons per week, usually in a block. The course focusses on developing students’ enjoyment of Art and Design whilst teaching them the skills, techniques and ways of learning needed to access the subject at a higher level. Students will work in a wide range of media such as pencil, pastels, paint, collage, wax, ink, clay, card, modroc etc. Critical study is an important element of the Year 9 course and students will be introduced to a variety of artists and designers; they will begin to learn systems for analysing art works as well as being encouraged to express their own thoughts and ideas.

Key Stage 4

Intent:

At Brayton Academy we recognise the importance of Art and Design in society and industry. We recognise that Art and Design is both a form of communication and a means of expressing ideas and feelings. We see this subject as a language that compliments other areas but stress that Art and Design is especially concerned with the development of those complex mental processes involved in visual perception and aesthetic experience. Our expectations of students are high; we expect them to take pride in their work and always strive to do their best. In return, we work hard to provide stimulating lessons and offer all students, whatever their ability, the opportunity to maximise their potential.

The aims of the Art and Design Department are –

• To provide enjoyment and creative stimulation in a safe environment.
• To help ALL students gain confidence in their own ability and achieve success.
• To enable ALL students to learn technical skills through experimentation with different techniques and materials.
• To enable students to develop an appreciation and understanding of different types of Art and Design from our own and other cultures and encourage positive attitudes.

In Years 10 and 11, students can opt to study GCSE Fine Art. They will receive 6 lessons per week and complete the qualification in one year. We follow the AQA Fine Art course, which allows pupils to develop their skills in a range of media. Students are assessed on their portfolio (60%), made up of three topics: Portraits, Still Life and Natural Forms. The other 40% of the qualification comes from their externally set exam, where students have the freedom to choose and develop one of the briefs set by the AQA exam board.

 

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