Art

The Year 7 art curriculum builds the foundation skills students require for success in this subject at GCSE and A-Level. It focuses on the formal elements of Line, Texture, Colour, and Shape, as well as analysis and personal responses to others work and their own.

Students are taught to experiment and investigate different materials and processes. Students are encouraged to explore their ideas and create their own artwork, whilst developing an ability to be self-critical and listen to feedback from peers to improve work.

Autumn
Students begin learning how to use different materials and the techniques needed to create an image. Students will also begin to analyse each other’s work, beginning to learn critical thinking skills. Following this foundation, students will begin an examination of four formal elements: line, texture, shape and colour, and explore colour theory and colour mixing.

Spring
In the spring term, students learn about observation drawing and the use of different 2D mediums: watercolours, ink, pencils and coloured pencils, and oil pastels. Students will go on to learn about analysis and critical evaluation, as well as research and presentation techniques.

Summer
During the last term, students explore simple construction techniques and materials and how to adapt, problem-solve and evaluate their work. Students will also provide critical analysis and evaluation of their own and others’ work.

Assessments

Autumn
Baseline assessment portfolios are constructed over the autumn half term. All work is assessed to determine a baseline/starting level.

Students create an observational drawing and present this as their final piece before the Christmas break. Both this drawing and student sketch books are used to fully assess student progress.

Spring
Students create a final piece using either paint or oil pastel , or creating a collage. This piece will take elements from Picasso, Matisse and Cezanne’s work. The composition and use of techniques are assessed along with the work students have been producing in their sketchbooks so far.

Students will present two pieces of research or artwork:

1. Cave art inspired stencil work
2. Printed patterns inspired by Arabic art

Summer
There are three formal assessments this term.

1. Assessment of 2D work; application of understanding and colour theory; colour mixing and the formal elements
2. Critical analysis and personal responses to the work of others and their own; quality of analytical writing
3. Assessment of student construction techniques and their design ideas in response to artist research

Homework:
Students are set homework every other week and they are expected to spend about an hour completing it. The homework encourages independent research, exploration of materials and personal responses to others work- which build on learning within the lesson.

The Year 8 art curriculum builds the foundation skills acquired in Year 7, developing knowledge of the formal elements (Line, Texture, Colour, and Shape), analysis of personal work and the work of others. The Year 8 curriculum closely follows the GCSE assessment objectives to ensure all students experience the expectations of an art GCSE course.

Students are taught to experiment and investigate different materials and processes. They are encouraged to explore their ideas and create their own artwork, whilst developing an ability to be self-critical and listen to constructive feedback from peers. The final term consists of a unit of work set out as mini-GCSE assignment. Students work through the GCSE Assessment Objectives and they produce a final assessment piece informed by work carried out over the unit, as would be expected at GCSE.

Autumn
Students will learn how to use different materials and techniques, recording how materials behave. We will be asking the question, “can art be a science?”

Spring
In the spring term, students will examine the work of different artists and learn about different art movements. Students will also explore how artists use for formal elements and research and record their personal responses.

Summer
Students create observation drawings from primary and secondary sources and learn how to use acrylic paints. In this term, final composition ideas are also developed and students further learn analysis and critical evaluation techniques.

Assessments

Autumn
Students refine their ideas through experimenting and selecting appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes. The end of term assessment is based on the culmination of these experiments in a reference portfolio.

Spring
Students create a GCSE-style research page, conducting research into an artist and recording their personal responses to the artists’ work.

Students will use a variety of materials to explore a painting created by their chosen artist.

Presentation techniques will be assessed.

Summer
Students are given a theme (as they would at GCSE) and tasked with creating research materials in the form of observational drawings, which the students combine with drawings from secondary sources. These pieces of work are combined to create a composition for a final piece (painting on canvas using acrylic). The final piece and the preparatory work are used to form a final assessment.

Students are to record their ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms. Students must present a personal, informed and meaningful response demonstrating analytical and critical understanding and realising intentions.

Homework:

Students are set homework every other week and they are expected to spend about an hour completing it. The homework encourages independent research, exploration of materials and personal responses to others’ work – which build on learning within the lesson and feeds into the following lessons.

The Year 9 art curriculum builds the foundation skills acquired in Year 8, of developing knowledge of the formal elements (Line, Texture, Colour, and Shape), analysis of personal work and the work of others. The Year 9 curriculum closely follows the GCSE assessment objectives to ensure all students experience the expectations of an Art GCSE course.

Students are taught to experiment and investigate different materials and processes. They are encouraged to explore their ideas and create their own artwork, whilst developing an ability to be self-critical and listen to constructive feedback from peers. The final term consists of a unit of work set out as mini-GCSE assignment. Students work through the GCSE Assessment Objectives and they produce a final assessment piece informed by work carried out over the unit- as would be expected at GCSE.

Autumn
Students explore what might inspire a drawing, helping to build their own confidence in drawings. Students will then practice colour theory, blending and how to make a successful drawing.

In the second half of the term, students will examine and practice proportions and the other techniques used to create portraits. Students are then tasked with identifying and exploring an artist that uses identity to inspire their work, before developing their own original work inspired by that artist.

Spring
Students examine the work of different artists and different art movements, exploring how artists use the formal elements. Students research and record their personal responses.

Summer
Students conduct observation drawings from primary and secondary sources, developing their final composition ideas. Students further learn analysis and critical evaluation techniques and how to use acrylic paint.

Assessments

Autumn
Final sustained observational drawing using colour.

Spring
Students develop their ideas through investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and cultural understanding.

Students create a GCSE style research page, where they research an artist and record their personal responses to that artists work. Students use a variety of materials to explore a painting created by their chosen artist.

Students are also assessed on presentation techniques used.

Summer
Students are given a theme (as they would at GCSE) and tasked with creating research materials in the form of observational drawing, which students then combine with drawings from secondary sources. These pieces of work are combined to create a composition for a final piece (painting on canvas using acrylic). The final piece and preparatory work are used to form a final assessment.

Homework:

Students are set homework every other week and they are expected to spend about an hour completing it. The homework encourages independent research, exploration of materials and personal responses to others’ work – which build on learning within the lesson and feeds into the following lessons.

Over the course of Year 10 and 11 students will work on three separate projects which cover each of the Edexcel Assessment Objectives and produce a portfolio of work that answers the assessment objective questions.

60% of the course is based on continual Controlled Assessment carried out in school during Year 10 and the start of Year 11. The final 40% is studied in Year 11 in the spring and summer terms. This 40% takes the form of an Externally Set Exam paper in which students must demonstrate independent work meeting all Assessment Objectives and culminates in a 10 hour exam in which they produce their final outcomes.

How is it assessed?

Assessment Objectives:

In Year 10, students focus on completing controlled assessment tasks on the theme of ‘Surfaces’ (Project 1) up till the Easter break after which they will be set and ‘internally set exam paper’ (Project 2). They will work independently on Project 2 to produce a body of work that will lead to a final outcome, which they will construct in during the 5-hour exam in the summer term.

The controlled assessments take place in school on fixed dates. It is imperative that students are in school at these times as it will be difficult students to catch up if they miss out.

Homework:

Students will receive a schedule which outlines the focus for independent study every week. It is imperative that students take responsibility for this independent work to ensure they stay up to date with their course work. Every two weeks this independent work will form the basis of a one to one tutorial with their classroom teacher and a discussion of how the work was completed and where it fits into the project.

The Learning Centre
GCSE Bitesize
Edexcel

To extend and develop understanding:

Students are encouraged as part of the course to interact with other artist work- and therefore would encourage you to take your child to as many art exhibitions and galleries as possible- this will allow them to meet Assessment Objective 1.