Art

Art

Departmental Aims

  • To give all students the opportunity to create art using a variety of media
  • To develop students’ awareness and knowledge of the work of other artists
  • To develop each student’s ability to draw in a variety of media
  • To give all students the chance to express ideas through visual language
  • To increase students’ awareness of the visual language of art and how it can be most effectively used to communicate ideas
  • To achieve the best possible exam results for all students
  • To support and advise students as they explore university and future career options.

Facilities

  • Superb facilities in the well-equipped art studios
  • Specialist darkroom with black and white and digital photography equipment
  • Well-equipped ceramics studio and two kilns
  • Dedicated departmental IT facilities/art library.

A Level Curriculum

At A Level, students follow the Edexcel Fine Art course. This is comprised of two components of coursework: a personal investigation (with a supporting contextual studies essay), and an exam paper given at the start of Year 13.

  • In the Sixth Form we offer Art A Level to those who have gained good qualifications at GCSE. Students will extend the skills and techniques learnt previously through practical work
  • The department consistently gains excellent examination results and high ‘value added’ scores
  • Students regularly progress to Art Foundation and study Architecture/Design-based subjects at top universities.

Co-curricular, Enrichment, Extension and Support

  • Year 12 and 13 students have their own art studio where they can work and display their work
  • The Art Department offers life drawing one night per week in the autumn term as an opportunity to further develop and refine drawing skills
  • Year 12 have a one-day workshop with a visiting professional artist each year
  • Year 12 and 13 students attend a one-day lecture in London to listen to and engage with artists talking about their work
  • The department runs short study courses to European cities to visit galleries and museums. In recent years, these have included Amsterdam, Berlin and Venice.