Notre Dame School

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Sixth Form

Subject Leader – Art

Aims

Students in the world today learn as much through visual images as they do through words. The understanding and use of visually communicated information, gathered from a wide range of sources, has become a basic skill. Understanding art is the path towards the visual literacy which every student needs in order to maximize awareness and appreciation of the world we inhabit in order to live effectively and productively.

The Art Department aims to:

Provide opportunity for students to have access to a wide range of processes, methods and techniques to become familiar with applying the visual and tactile elements to their work, and to consider a range of stimulating topics
Provide opportunity for students to develop their skills of observation through first hand acquaintance with objects and artefacts’ from the natural and made world
Promote investigation and experimentation of ideas and materials
Provide opportunities to express ideas and explore emotions
Provide opportunities to see how art, craft and design has made significant contributions to the world in which we live
Develop students’ aesthetic sensibilities and enable them to make informed judgments about art
Create opportunities to express considered opinions about their own work and the work of others, both in written and aural terms
Promote the creative work of students throughout the school and wider community
Develop students’ capacity for imaginative and original thought
Enable students to develop an understanding of the language of art through the systematic introduction of the visual elements.

Art delivers both a practical and an academic element to the curriculum through the processes of development towards the making of objects and artefacts which have within them strong aesthetic qualities. There is also a critical, historical and contextual element to the work that should be fully integrated into the practical delivery of the subject.

Art not only offers a technical and aesthetic element to the whole curriculum but also opportunity for students to respond in a personal and unique way to the world around them. It creates opportunity for expression and imagination in the handling of images, tools and materials.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3

In Years 7 and 8 students study for one hour per week, in mixed ability groups. The curriculum introduces students to the Foundation Skills being the fundamental building blocks to creating a composition in Art. They will study the visual elements: Line, Shape, Tone, Texture and Colour, using these elements of design to produce a drawing of a teddy bear at the beginning and end of this topic. They will also be introduced to the work of others in order to inspire them as artists and understanding the contextual aspect. Students are assessed in each topic on their creativity and their ability to draw, craft and make. In Year 8 students have the opportunity to be bolder with their choice of materials and are introduced to the 3D element of clay. They also expand of their drawing skills by producing.

Key Stage 4

This is a 3 year course starting in Year 9. Students study the use of a range of different media from pencil to clay. They will work majoritively in sketchbooks but also larger scale on paper to produce a portfolio of work to exhibit for moderation at the end of the course.

The course is divided into: a portfolio component (60%) and an externally set exam (40%)

At the start of Year 11 students will begin their mock exam which will prepare them for their final exam at the end of the year. The exam component is an externally set assignment allowing for a 12 week study period followed by a 10 hour exam under controlled conditions. All work is assessed using 4 assessment criteria of equal weighting: Develop, Refine, Record and Produce.

We also offer Photography at GCSE following the same criteria as an endorsement of Art and Design. Students will work mostly in digital format but also have the opportunity to develop more traditional skills using the darkroom.

Key Stage 5

We offer a 2 year course in Fine Art at A level. Currently we are using AQA as an examining board. You can find more information about the specification on their website: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/as-and-a-level/art-and-design
The course is designed so that year 12 students can build on their skills and experiences from GCSE with a mock exam at the end of the year to prepare for their final year. In Year 13 the expectation is that students work independently to produce a detailed personal study on a topic of their choice, as 50% of their A level. The further 50% is an externally set assignment, which ends in a 15 hour exam under controlled conditions. The assessment criteria is much the same as GCSE with 4 equally weighted objectives to Develop, Refine, Record and Produce.

Photography A level follows the same format as an Art & Design endorsement but is currently taught under Edexcel. Specification for the course can be found at: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/art-and-design-2015.html