Subjects

Throughout Key Stage 3, pupils will receive a broad and balanced curriculum. We provide a supportive environment where students can develop their skills through hands-on practice and guided experimentation. We believe in the power of feedback and reflection, and we work closely with students to help them refine their work and articulate their artistic vision whilst developing their understanding of art through historical and contemporary contexts.

The curriculum is designed to give pupils the opportunity to:

• Use a range of techniques to record their observations and explore ideas
• Increase proficiency in working with different materials
• Confidently analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others
• Consider the wider context of art and how it can affect/be affected by society
• Discover the history of art, craft, design and architecture, understanding periods, styles and major artistic movements.

Sharples Art Passport:

The Sharples Art Passport is designed to introduce pupils to some of the fundamentals of studying and creating art. As the pupils are coming from various primary schools, their experience in art across the different schools varies and the Sharples Art Passport aims to align all pupils’ knowledge and understanding of various aspects of the subject.

Students will develop their proficiency in basic drawing skills and colour theory. In drawing, they will develop their understanding of how to create shading and texture through experimenting with tone and mark making aiming to create realistic 3D forms on a flat surface. They will also investigate using blocking to draw more complex shapes and using the grid method.  They will also develop their understanding of colour theory from KS2 and how to paint accurately in watercolour.

Why & Where Did Art Begin?:

Within this short project, the students will develop their theoretical and disciplinary understanding of the purpose of art going right back to the start of the history of art. They will look at cave paintings and discover the purpose of this artform and how prehistoric civilisations painted them. They will look at what prehistoric people drew and why.

They will also investigate Ancient civilizations focusing on the Ancient Egyptians to understand how early art work evolved and how its purpose developed. They will look at Frontalism and Canons of Proportion and also aim to understand why the Ancient Egyptians depicted their gods with animal heads.

Birds:

Developing mark making, students will investigate how making marks can create pattern and texture, and how it can be transferred into 3D through the use of clay. They will develop their understanding of the purpose of art by looking at how artists in the past were taken on exploration expeditions to record new findings and species as photography did not exist. They will also compare and contrast the style of different artists  Edward Saidi (Tanzanian) and Mark Hearld (British), understanding how the accessibility of art equipment can influence the style of the art work and how artists work with inspiration.

They will experiment with new forms of drawing as well as developing their ability to use the grid method and tonal value. They will develop their proficiency in painting and understanding of the formal elements. They will also begin to investigate working with oil pastels and develop their sculpting techniques by experimenting with clay using impression techniques.

My Town:

Students will be taking a creative look at their own town, recapping on scale and proportion and looking at perspective through the work of artists including Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) and L.S Lowry. They will also work with print within this project. They will focus on developing their work in the style of different artists including trying out different printing techniques to emulate their work. Students will develop their knowledge of drawing by looking at spatial order and how this affects scale and proportion. They will develop their ability to represent three-dimensional forms on a flat surface through understanding one-point perspective.

Sealife – The Coral Reef:

This project is designed to introduce pupils to the significance and meaning of artwork, as well as its contextual relevance. As part of this, they will focus on an environmental issue—specifically, the destruction of coral reefs and ocean pollution. Pupils will explore the background and context of this issue and learn how artists are using visual representation to raise awareness and engage viewers with these important environmental concerns. They will begin to understand the purpose of art by looking at various artists from those who recorded natural history, to contemporary artists who focus on representing the human impact on the environment.

Pupils will take inspiration from natural forms and deepen their understanding of tonal value by incorporating texture through tonal mark making. They will explore a range of drawing techniques to build confidence and in clay, they will learn how to create 3D forms enhancing their designs using relief and impression techniques. With paint, they will experiment with more expressive, freeform approaches while also developing control using acrylics

Toys:

This project is inspired by the theme of Toys. Students will explore how toys have influenced art from the early 1900s to contemporary digital works, building on their previous learning about the purpose of art. They will analyse how different artists use toys in varied ways—such as altering scale to affect the viewer’s experience, creating work for different audiences, and using toys as a means to comment on social issues.

Students will focus on understanding the composition in a piece of artwork as well as exploring and analysing the work of other artists using the art formal elements to understand how these impact composition. As well as focusing on painting techniques, students will also work digitally to produce a piece of artwork.

Abstract:

This project explores the history and development of Expressionism and Abstract art, focusing on key modern art movements. Students will create a practical response that develops their understanding of composition through the use of formal elements —particularly colour, line, pattern, and shape.

They will study a range of painting and mark-making techniques, examining how different movements used colour and expressive methods. Through Abstract Expressionism, students will experiment with emotive mark making, and create compositions inspired by music.

They will also investigate Impressionism and Fauvism by researching their key artists and painting styles. The project will explore how drawing can be used to express emotion and mood, and will culminate in a final abstract outcome inspired by the work, influences, and design processes of Zaha Hadid.

Self and Society: Portraiture Inspired by Artists and Experience:

This year, students will focus on developing their artwork through portraiture. They will explore the history of portraiture from the 17th century onwards, gaining an understanding of its purpose and how it has evolved over time. Students will learn to draw facial features and experiment with different media.

Using primary photographs that they will take, students will create and refine self-portraits as well as transforming continuous line drawings into wire sculptures.

Students will also study how artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat expressed personal struggles such as mental health and racism in their work, and reflect on Picasso’s Rose and Blue Periods, exploring how his experiences influenced his use of colour and subject matter.

Finally, students will develop their own unique self-portraits, drawing inspiration from these artists and their approaches.

Words for Change:

In this project, students will begin by creating a mind map exploring key areas of social concern. These themes will form the foundation for their investigation into how words can be a powerful tool for change and protest within art. Students will study how artists such as Banksy and Bob and Roberta Smith use a combination of words, imagery, and expressive visual language to communicate strong messages. The project will compare how each artist approaches text and imagery differently to convey their ideas.

Students will learn how to draw text in a way that captures attention, experimenting with bold typography and colour to enhance impact. They will investigate the purpose of protest boards and design their own.

Landscape & Weather:

Based on elements of nature, students will develop ideas for a final clay piece. They will work responsively and intuitively using creative mark making and a limited colour palette.

They will look at various artists to inspire and develop creative surface details and texture to apply to their clay pieces.

Looking at a variety of artists, students will develop their understanding of gesture, form and colour through landscapes and weather focusing on work that seems contemporary and abstract.

They will work with reduced colour schemes, simplification and reduction of detail, expressive and/or textural mark-making to convey local landscape scenes and different weather sounds which will be developed into a 3D ceramic form.

Our Key Stage 4 Art and Design curriculum provides students with opportunities to build on their learning experiences gained during Key Stage 3 and to explore a variety of media, themes, images and artefacts in a personal and meaningful way for individuals. It builds on the pupils’ ability to view and critique artworks whilst making connections to their social, historical and cultural context. Pupils are required to develop their work independently and refine their ideas towards a final outcome.

Throughout the course, pupils create a portfolio of coursework (60%) and complete an examination (40% of the award grade) in order to gain GCSE certification. The portfolio of coursework should include artworks created in at least two of the following areas: drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, printmaking, mixed media, computer-aided design, illustration, advertising, digital imaging, textiles, fashion, ceramics, sculpture and photography. The examination is a separate portfolio developed from a title provided by the exam board which is also explored and refined to a personal conclusion.

Art and Design lessons offer a unique learning environment where risk taking and experimentation is encouraged along with developing judgments of one’s own work and that of others to develop a portfolio in line with intentions, as well as developing a greater understanding of the purpose of art and design.

Our Photography curriculum is designed to allow our students to combine their artistic and creative side with the technical expertise and techniques associated with professional photography. We believe that examining past and current photography practitioners supports students’ understanding of core photographic elements, and allows them to use their knowledge to experiment with concepts such as shadow, lighting, movement and composition. Our curriculum aims to offer our students a thorough insight into the broad scope of photography, presenting them with the opportunity to develop in-depth technical and practical expertise. The themes chosen enable students to successfully develop analytical skills, image manipulation techniques, practical competence and explore a range of strategies to present imagery.

Photography lessons provide a dynamic learning environment where students will be given the flexibility to be imaginative and experimental with their own photographic intentions, whilst applying their knowledge of visual language. Through the use of portfolios, students are taught to be independent practitioners who have the capacity to develop, refine, record and showcase several photographic ideas.

Choosing an Art & Design subject creates possibilities for lots of exciting careers in the Creative Industries – one of the most rapidly growing industries in the UK. In fact, over one in eight UK businesses (11.8%) in 2019 were part of the Creative Industries (DCMS 2022). Below are some of the sectors that are accessible with a qualification in an Art and Design subject:

• Graphic Designer – Creates visuals for print and digital media using design software.
• Photographer – Captures images in areas like fashion, portrait, commercial, or documentary work.
• Fine Artist – Produces original artwork such as paintings, drawings, or sculptures.
• Illustrator – Creates drawings for books, advertising, fashion, or editorial work.
• Animator – Brings characters and visuals to life through digital or hand-drawn animation.
• Digital Artist – Uses digital tools to create art for games, films, marketing, and social media.
• Art Director – Oversees the visual style of magazines, films, ad campaigns, or websites.
• Set Designer – Designs backgrounds and sets for theatre, film, or television productions.
• Art Teacher – Educates students in schools or colleges in art and design practices.
• Photo Editor – Selects and edits images for publications, brands, or online platforms.
• UX/UI Designer – Designs user-friendly digital interfaces for apps, websites, and software.
• Curator – Organises and manages exhibitions in galleries and museums.
• Motion Graphics Designer – Creates animated graphics for video, film, or digital ads.
  Printmaker – Produces art using printing techniques like screen printing or etching.
• Concept Artist – Develops visual ideas for characters, environments, and props in games or films.