Art & Design

Intent

At Barnwell students are taught to develop their creativity and ideas and increase proficiency in their development. We encourage them to develop a critical understanding of artists, architects, and designers, expressing reasoned judgements that can inform their own work.

As an Art and Design department we follow the AQA Exam Board for GCSE and A Level, as we believe the content of the course allows students to be independent in their exploration as they develop as young artists, designers, photographers. We feel the value of analysis and critical understand underpins the value of practical elements of the course and naturally reinforces the course. We feel that this process is vital for our students at Barnwell, as they thrive in a vocational setting, therefore gaining a deeper and richer knowledge overall. These elements are embedded into our KS3 Curriculum from Y7-9.

Within our Art and Design curriculum we embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire, and challenge students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft, and design.

The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all students:

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft, and design techniques.
• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft, and design.
• know about renowned artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
• to use a range of techniques to record their observations in sketchbooks and other media as a basis for exploring their ideas.

Art Learning Journey

Click the image to download.

Art & Design at Key Stage 3

In Year 7 and 8 all students study 50 minutes of Art per week, year 9 students have 1 hour and 40 minutes per week. The course includes a diverse range of artistic styles including traditional and contemporary.

Students are given termly projects which focus on various themes and we explore a diverse range of mediums to give the students a more rounded experience in all areas of the subject. Throughout the course the students are introduced to the work of a range of artists which complement and inspire creative responses related to each project.

Skills introduced: Drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, photography, clay, critical analysis and 3D work.

During the last term of Year 8, students will choose 2 areas of Art, Design and Technology that they would like to focus on in more depth during Year 9. These 2 options will then rotate on a 9-10 week course, giving each student a double lesson per week. This then provides students with additional time to develop their skills in these subjects, creating a more robust foundation for GCSE.

Students artwork is displayed around the classrooms to celebrate success and demonstrate the exciting and skillful work created by the students. Students are encouraged to attend lunch and afterschool workshops to extend skills and techniques.

By the end of Key stage 3 all pupils should be able to:-

• Use a range of techniques to record their observations in sketchbooks, journals and other media as a basis for exploring ideas.
• Use a range of techniques and media including painting.
• Increase their proficiency in the handling of different materials.
• Analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, to strengthen the visual impact or applications of their work.
• Have a critical understanding about the history of art, craft and design and architecture, including periods, styles and major art movements up to the present day.

Years 7 and 8

Year 9 

Aims: ​

• Develop skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media​
• Develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills in art and design.​
• Development of how sources relate to individual, cultural, historical, environmental, ethical contexts.​
• How ideas, themes, forms, feelings and concerns can inspire personal responses through primarily aesthetic, intellectual or conceptual.

GCSE Art 

Course Title: GCSE (9-1) Art & Design: Fine Art 

Specification Code: 8202 

Exam Board: AQA Web Link 

Please contact Mr Ledster for further information.

Year 10 

Year 1 Term 1 Component 1

Introduction – Recording Skills + Organic Forms and Surfaces, Food, Portraiture, Landscapes & Architecture. (TBC) 

Drawing/Painting/Observation/Imagination + Critical Analysis exploring artists methods + Exploring and developing ideas using a range of media.  

Year 1 Term 2 Component 1