Perspectives and Architecture

The scheme of work in Year 7 concentrates on introducing core skills and enhancing creativity through the study of a range of media and processes, including both 2D and 3D work. The scheme of work inspires and challenges students to produce creative work and become proficient in drawing, painting and other techniques. They also learn to evaluate, respond to and analyse artwork from significant artists using the visual and written language of art, craft and design. 

The creative areas explored in Year 7 are: Colour Theory, Perspectives, Landscapes and Architecture. Students will develop skills in analytical and proportional architectural drawing using pencil, development and creation of an abstract design, basic elements of art, such as colour, line, tone and form in a range of media such as paint, clay and colour pencil.   

Students explore abstraction and colour relativity through studying the art of Wassily Kandinsky before being introduced to the theme of Architecture through the creation of their own clay cityscape influenced by Paul Klee. Observational accuracy is engaged with as a core skill through drawing well-known buildings, leading to a drawing inspired by Ian Murphy to create a piece of work of architectural details from the Hindu temple Year 7 students visit at the end of year 7. 

Students also focus on discovering how to portray different types of perspective used in artistic compositions and designs through both technical drawing and the use of tonal painting whilst taking inspiration from the work of Emily Carr. 

Exploring Identity through Portraiture.

The scheme of work in Year 8 encourages a more developed sense of visual literacy and continues to extend and develop students' skills further in a range of media. The scheme of work continues to inspire and challenge students to produce creative work, become more proficient in drawing, painting and other techniques, be able to evaluate, respond and analyse creative works using specialist art and design language, and develop and refine independent ideas. 

The creative areas explored in Year 8 are: Natural Forms, Still Life and Colour Psychology. Students begin the year recapping observational drawing skills through still life drawing using a wider range of media. 
Students are introduced to the popular theme of Natural Forms in art and discover how colour use changed from Impressionism through to Fauvism before then exploring the compositional and style evolutions from Cubism through to Surrealism and Pop Art. They then look at how Contemporary Artists explore Natural Forms by looking at the work of a variety of artists, including Yayoi Kusama and Emily Counts. Students will show that they have looked at the work of the artists through artist studies. To conclude the year, students will create a final piece focusing on the theme and showing inspiration from the art periods, styles and media they have studied throughout the year. 

All schemes of work are supported by critical, contextual and historical studies and students will produce artist studies, designs and develop their ideas through experimentation before producing a final piece at the end of the year. 

Portraiture and Identity 

The scheme of work in Year 9 aims to increase students’ independence, utilising the skills they have previously learnt whilst following a structure closer to that of a GCSE coursework project. This will ensure that students who take art further in their education are able to solely focus on improving skills and learning new techniques without having to also handle a new project format. 

The theme of Portraiture is explored through introduction to new media such as lino printing, as well as further solidifying skills in previously used media. Artists such as Kathe Kollwitz and Bisa Butler are explored, allowing students to develop their abilities to show expression and cultural identity through the format of portraiture. Students will then develop a final piece idea under the theme of Identity that follows the format of a GCSE project structure, including finding their own sources of inspiration, creating initial designs, and reviewing and refining their ideas through a more substantial experimentation process. They will then conclude their KS3 Art education by creating an independent final piece in a medium of their own choice. 

Exam Board:  AQA

The GCSE in Art, Craft and Design is a broad and flexible course that requires students to develop an appreciation of the creative process through a practical response, using a variety of two – dimensional and three – dimensional media, materials, techniques and processes. Working time in the department is increased, so an element of consistency is applied to projects, but self-initiated work, outside of lesson time, is essential as with any other subject. As the course progresses into Year 11, each student is expected to work more independently and take responsibility for further developing their work, identifying areas for refinement within the creative areas that they have chosen to study. 

Visits to the major London or Oxford galleries are organised to help expand the students’ knowledge and understanding of artists, movements and styles, which helps students to shape their own work. 

For Component 1 (Coursework), students are required to create work associated with areas of study chosen from at least two of the five endorsed titles as follows: Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Textile Design, Three-dimensional design and Photography. This allows students to find a way of working that best suits their own skills whilst also ensuring students can show experimentation and risk-taking through media. This component makes up 60% of the available marks. 

Component 2 (Externally Set Assignment) carries 40% of the marks and takes the form of an Exam Board set project, received in January of Year 11, and culminates in a 10-hour exam in which the final piece for the project is produced. Students are required to create work associated with at least one of the areas of study, as above.  

A link to the current specification for GCSE Art and Design can be found here:  

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/gcse/art-and-design-8201/specification 

A Level

A Level (2 year) Personal Investigation Component 60%; Externally Set Assignment 40%

Exam Board: AQA

In Year 12 & 13 students engage in integrated critical, practical and theoretical study in art, craft and design. The broad-based, unendorsed Art, Craft and Design title enables students to explore a range of approaches in terms of media, styles and concepts to their studies. Work produced will demonstrate the use of visual language and creative skills and will allow students to express their thinking, feelings, observations and ideas. It is expected that students will possess greater powers of self-discipline and self-motivation, are capable of creating artwork to a high technical standard and are willing to experiment using a wide variety of media. 

The Personal Investigation Component in both AS and A Level allows students opportunities to generate and develop ideas, research primary and contextual sources, record practical and written observations, experiment with media processes, and refine ideas towards producing resolved outcomes. Supporting studies and practical work will comprise a portfolio of development work and outcomes based on themes and ideas developed from personal starting points.  

The GCE Art, Craft and Design course aims to encourage students to develop: 

• Intellectual, imaginative, creative and intuitive capabilities. 

• Investigative, analytical, practical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and critical judgment. 

• Independence in developing, refining and communicating their own ideas, intentions and personal outcomes. 

• Their experience of working with a broad range of media. 

• Knowledge and experience of real-world contexts and, where appropriate, links to the creative industries. 

• An awareness of contemporary and contextual study. 

A link to the current specification for A Level Art and Design can be found here:  

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/a-level/art-and-design-7201/specification 

What next?

If you wish to continue studying Art & Design beyond “A” Level, the next stage involves applying for a one-year Foundation course which is designed to prepare you for entry to degree-level art and design programmes at University.

“Studying art and design at A Level has rewarded me with a more open and inquisitive mind by urging me to experiment and analyse. These skills will prepare me to make the most of my next level of art education at Art College.

A link to the current specification for A Level Art and Design can be found here

We are lucky to have a wide range of facilities in the Art Department.  

The department is made up of two large and open rooms, allowing plenty of space for creative minds, a small IT suite, and an extensive art library. 

In 2017, The Kendrick Parent’s Society kindly donated a sum of money that was put towards buying a print press capable of creating up to A2-sized prints which has been used by both KS4 and KS5. 

Materials used within the department include, but are not limited to: oil, acrylic and watercolour paint; dry media such as oil pastels, soft pastels, charcoal and Prismacolor pencils; buff, terracotta and porcelain clay; textile fabrics and craft; digital media; printmaking techniques such as lino, monotype and dry point printing. 

All year groups benefit from the use of a large kiln in which to fire clay work along with an array of clay equipment and underglazes. 

KS4 and KS5 students also have the opportunity of using Adobe Creative Suite and drawing tablets. 

Miss F Long - Subject Leader of Art

Mrs C Souch – Teacher of Art

Miss A Darrieumerlou - Technician