Art
What is our curriculum and intention?
The study of art is essential in terms of preparing pupils to participate in tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. Teachers encourage children to develop their investigating, designing, making and evaluating skills by thinking and intervening creatively. Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art and design. As students progress, they should know how art and design both reflect and shape our history and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. Art curriculum is an inclusive curriculum where all students are challenged, supported and taught to the top. Our curriculum prides itself on exposing students to a wide variety of art from a variety of time periods and the opportunities to broaden their creativity and confidently analyse artwork. The art curriculum forms part of the Academy vision that all pupils should experience a broad, balanced and academically rich curriculum. We are confident that our curriculum contributes to pupils’ creative learning and personal growth. We also aim to use art as a tool to contribute to pupils’ acquisition of cultural capital. We aim to prepare students for life outside of school and beyond education, equipping them with the tools necessary for them to reach their full potential, regardless of ability.
What is our learning journey?
Our Curriculum is a five year ‘Learning Journey’.
At Key Stage 3, our Art programme focuses on knowledge acquisition and development of skills which are supported by the processes we learn and our units of work. The years are sequenced to ensure that, as students progress through KS3, they are continuously and consistently developing key skills and knowledge, providing them with a strong basis for further study at KS4 and beyond.
At KS3, we aspire to introduce basic concepts and skills. Pupils are taught to develop their creativity, ideas and increase proficiency in their execution. They will develop a critical understanding of artists and designers, expressing reasoned judgements that can inform their own work. Our KS3 curriculum provides pupils with sufficient understanding of subjects and an appreciation of subject integrity and interconnectedness so that they can build pathways for themselves that will enable them to explore and fulfil career aspirations.
Our Key Stage 3 curriculum provides pupils with a foundation in Art so that they can explore key aspects of its contribution to cultural capital.
Assessment Objectives focus on sequenced progression of skills which are developed and reinforced from Year 7 up to Year 11. There are clear links between units of work within year groups and across the key stage to cement prior learning and prepare for future learning. These fundamental principles and skills are woven into Key Stage 4, ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to engage with and excel at art in Key Stage 4.
Why this? Why now? Why have we sequenced our curriculum this way?
The Art curriculum for 11-16 secondary covers 5 years, and the transition from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 is not a sharp cut-off point. The emphasis of DACA curriculum development is on recursive learning that builds from solid foundations
The KS3 Art programme is designed to build on the foundations established at KS2 to develop learners in all aspects of their Art education. It provides students with opportunities to explore a variety of contemporary and historical artists whilst developing their artistic skills, allowing them to become proficient in a variety of art processes. During Year 9 we begin introducing the year group to more sophisticated aspects of the curriculum to provide and inform them for their options. This allows adequate time for them to make a decision about choosing art as a GCSE subject.
At KS4, the GCSE art programme is a two-year course. Students will develop an understanding of art movements and how they are still relevant today. They will learn to appreciate the artist intent expressed through their work and how to implement this in their own practice. Students will be exposed to a range of sophisticated artistic processes which they will implement through creating a personal response to a chosen theme.
What will you typically see in our Design & Technology lessons?
- Diverse Media and Techniques:
- Exposure to various art materials and techniques, such as drawing, painting, printmaking, and digital media. This enables students explore their interests and develop a broad skill set.
- Creative Freedom:
- Opportunities for students to express their personal ideas and creativity through open-ended projects. This encourages self-expression and helps students build confidence in their artistic abilities
- Art History and Context:
- Introduction to art history, key movements, and influential artists, this provides context for students’ work and helps them understand the relevance of their own art within a broader historical and cultural framework.
- Engagement and Motivation:
- Engaging and varied lessons that maintain student interest and motivation. This encourages a positive attitude towards learning and fosters a love for art.
Long-term learning: Students are made aware of the significance of this unit of work and specific lessons in relation to prior and future learning. Students are prompted to make links between prior key knowledge and skills in this scheme and those they have already studied.
Checking for understanding and mark making (ACMO): Comprehension questions; think, pair, share; cold call; questioning; class discussion. All pupils are subject to rigorous checking of their learning and supported to close any gaps they have in knowledge and skills by teachers’ effective formative assessment of their progress.
Live modelling and guided practice: I Do (a metacognitive approach), We Do (under the visualiser or on the board), You Do (independent work with scaffolding); exploration, assessment and deconstruction of effective and ineffective model answers.
How do we assess progress in our subject?
At Key Stage 3
Art assessments are important as they allow the teacher to track progress, recognise areas of strengths and address knowledge gaps within art. Assessments are driven by the curriculum and the key knowledge and skills identified as essential to progress. We deliver a rich, deep and ambitious knowledge-based curriculum. The assessments evaluate the success of curriculum delivery and how effectively individual pupils have mastered that body of learning. Assessments are not conducted in isolation. They take place after a particular body of knowledge has been taught or proficiency in a skill has been practised.
The purpose of assessment is to identify the strengths – and any deficits- in an individual pupil’s own learning, and to establish whether there are any misconceptions amongst groups of pupils that may need to be retaught, taught differently or otherwise reinforced. Learning is about affecting changes in long term memory and so we use assessments that establish whether pupils have mastered the basics in our subject and have the confidence to build towards concepts and skills with sufficient depth that are increasingly complex.
Year 7
- What is tone and shade?
- How do we create darker tones?
- How did you choose the colours and materials for your piece?
- What were the challenges you faced while creating this work, and how did you overcome them?
Year 8
- What is the key content required for a research page?
- What is natural form?
- What different techniques did you use in your art work and why?
- How does your artwork compare to the work of other artists we’ve studied?
Year 9
- What does the term contemporary mean?
- Can you identify any influences from famous artists or art styles in your work?
- How do cultural or historical contexts influence the artwork you create?
- What were the challenges you faced while creating this work, and how did you overcome them?
At Key Stage 4
Assessment and qualification at Key Stage 4 is through the Eduqas (WJEC) Art and Design specification and involves evaluating students based on several key assessment objectives. Eduqas assessment is typically based on four main objectives, each of which contributes to the overall grade. These objectives are:
AO1: Develop ideas through investigations.
AO2: Experiment with and refine ideas through exploring and selecting relevant resources, media, materials, techniques, and processes.
AO3: Record ideas, observations, and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms.
AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that demonstrates analytical and critical understanding.
These assessment objectives are measured primarily through the following artefacts:
Portfolio (Coursework):
Evaluate the breadth and depth of the work in the portfolio.
- Assess the coherence of the development process, from initial research to final pieces.
- Look for evidence of skillful execution and creativity.
Controlled Assignment (Externally Set Task):
- Assess how students address the set theme or brief.
- Evaluate the quality and originality of the final piece produced under controlled conditions.
- Consider how well they’ve managed their time and resources during the controlled assignment.
- Encourage reflection and self-assessment to help students understand their progress.
In Art, we choose creative activities that are engaging and inspiring. We ensure that our planning activities and questioning techniques are suitable to encourage learners of all abilities. Pupils are required to write and speak in extended ways to explain their thinking Pupils are taught to think critically about artists work, including those which are relevant to current affairs. We provide a high level of challenge for the most able: planning for them builds to grade 9 criteria (for GCSE). By offering a wide range of art processes we ensure that high grades are achievable for pupils of all needs and abilities. In addition ,pupils are given the opportunity to participate in local and national competitions, challenges inside and outside of school and exhibitions.
How do we extend and enrich our curriculum?
Homework for KS3 is set once per term in art. You can expect to see one of the following:
- Drawing Exercises: Assign tasks like drawing from observation, practicing different shading techniques.
- Personal Artwork: Encourage students to create original artwork based on a theme or prompt, such as "self-portrait," "imaginary creature,".
A KS3 art club is held every week for students to explore their artistic talents further.
At Key Stage 4 students will be required to carry out regular independent practice as homework. You can expect students to be given one of the following tasks:
- Research Task: Ask students to research a specific artist, art movement, or technique relevant to the topic.
- Visual Exploration: Have students collect images or create mood boards to explore ideas
- Critical Analysis: Have students analyse their work or the work of others, using art terminology and concepts.
- Sketchbook Work: Ask students to complete a certain number of sketches or studies in their sketchbooks.
KS4 students are offered time to complete work after school on specific days.
How does our subject relate to further education and careers?
The skills developed through art—such as creativity, attention to detail, and communication—are highly transferable and can enhance career prospects across a wide range of fields. Whether directly related to art or applied to other sectors, these abilities provide a strong foundation for diverse professional opportunities Art can lead on to further study at A-Level and degree level in Fine Art, Illustration, Special effects and Photography. This can lead to a variety of careers such as:
- Artist: Painter, sculptor, illustrator, printmaker, or mixed media artist.
- Art Director: Oversees the visual aspects of projects in advertising, publishing, film, or television.
- Gallery or Museum Curator: Manages collections and organizes exhibitions.
- Art Historian: Researches, analyses, and writes about art history.
- Graphic Designer: Creates visual content for print, digital media, branding, and advertising.
- Web Designer: Designs and builds user interfaces for websites and applications.
- Animator: Creates animations for films, television, video games, or online content.
- Fashion Designer: Designs clothing, accessories, and footwear.
- Interior Designer: Plans and decorates interior spaces for residential or commercial use.
- Art Teacher: Teaches art techniques and theory in schools or community programs.
- Art Therapist: Uses art as a therapeutic tool to help clients express emotions and improve mental health.
- Set Designer: Designs and constructs sets for theatre, film, and television.
- Costume Designer: Designs costumes for theatre, film, and television productions.
- Book Illustrator: Creates illustrations for books, including children’s books and graphic novels.
- Game Designer: Creates visual elements and storylines for video games.
If you would like more information about the Art or Photography curriculum, please contact the Head of Art Miss Lynsey Sestanovic lynsey.sestanovic@daca.uk.com