We aim to deliver an art education that is a broad and exciting experience for every pupil.
Art at QEGS is concerned with nurturing and stretching the creative knowledge and ability of every individual through teaching practical visual language skills, an understanding of aesthetics and perception, encouraging expression, gaining critical, historical, and cultural awareness, and developing an understanding of concepts and ideas.
Our aim is for our pupils to: –
Develop a practical understanding of varied materials and techniques.
Gain confidence in communication and self-expression.
Develop independent, creative thinking skills.
Gain critical and contextual understanding through exploring art and artists.
Pioneer, explore, invent, and experiment.
Key Stage 3
General Art and Design
The curriculum is designed for pupils to explore and develop an understanding of different materials and techniques in 2D, 3D and digital media, gaining knowledge of art history and diverse cultures. All pupils are taught for three periods per cycle in small class sizes.
Michaelmas Term – Key Skills
We aim to develop key skills that allow pupils to gain confidence in making artwork: line, proportion, tone, perspective, and colour theory.
Lent term – Identity
Knowledge and skills learnt are built upon in the Lent term where we study identity, here we reinforce skills learnt through portraiture.
Trinity Term – Non- European Art
Throughout the year critical and contextual sources are explored at key points, in the final term, Trinity, we explore art from different cultures, specifically non-European Art.
Michaelmas Term – Organic forms
Year 8 begin with retrieving knowledge and skills studied in Year 7 by drawing from observation.
Here we use organic forms as a starting point, this explores concepts involved with composition and proportion, exploring a range of media in both two and three dimensions.
Lent Term – Architecture
For the Lent term, we explore architecture, using different periods in history as a starting point, pupils use a variety of materials to produce outcomes.
Trinity Term – Art and Artists
Art and Artists, in this unit we begin to introduce the concept of a personal portfolio, which allows a smooth transition to GCSE. Pupils are taught about a range of 20th Century artists. They choose an artist and produce a personal project on their work, realising skills learnt in both written theory and practical contexts. This results in an outcome that they produce in examination conditions.
Key Stage 4
GCSE – ART AND DESIGN, FINE ART (Eduqas)
GCSE – ART AND DESIGN, FINE ART (Eduqas)
The GCSE Fine Art course encourages an adventurous and enquiring approach to art and is designed to encompass four principal areas for the critical, practical and theoretical study of art. These emphasise the qualities of analytical understanding, practical experimentation, researching, and individual expression required at GCSE level. The assessment objective headings below have been provided to assist teachers and students:
AO1 Critical understanding
AO2 Creative making
AO3 Reflective recording
AO4 Personal presentation.
The course is split into two units. Unit One consists of a personal portfolio of work that has a 60% weighting of the overall qualification. Unit Two is the externally set assignment which has a weighting of 40%. Both units are internally assessed and externally standardised.
We use Year 9 as a foundation year for the GCSE. We begin the course by teaching the key requirements of the course under the following titles: Still life, Identity, followed by a personal portfolio project.
The internally assessed, externally moderated Component 1 ‘Portfolio’ encourages adventurous and open programmes of study that promote purposeful exploration, experimentation and opportunities for productive personal expression. Building upon knowledge of assessment objectives gained in Year 9, pupils are allowed to develop a personal project based on a previous theme set by the examination board.
The introductory aspects of the course will culminate in a practical project/portfolio, in which pupils develop, in consultation with their teacher, a body of work based on a theme, concept or specific design brief which is of personal significance and links to the contexts of contemporary and/or past artists, designers or craftspeople
Component 2 Externally Set Assignment
This component represents the culmination of students’ GCSE study and provides both focus and challenge. Pupils are required to develop a personal response to one of a varied range of stimuli within specified time constraints and must therefore bring together the best of their understanding, knowledge and skills built up over their course of study. Pupils are assessed on their ability to work independently, within specific time constraints and in relation to all four assessment objectives.
FACILITIES AND RESOURCES
The Art Department benefits from having excellent accommodation. It is located in its own building, Hartley House. There are four large, well-equipped studios spread over two floors, all benefiting from excellent natural light. One studio provides very generous personal spaces and is used purely for A level pupils. In addition to the practical studio spaces, we have a digital media suite.
TRIPS AND VISITS
We offer a variety of additional learning opportunities such as trips to galleries and places of cultural interest both within the UK and Europe. We provide opportunities for pupils to exhibit and create their own exhibitions and benefit from having a variety of talks from visiting speakers from the creative industries.
A rich programme of extra-curricular opportunities is available for each year group. For Years 7-9, there are a wide selection of lunchtime activities to choose from, including, art club, digital art club and comic club. There are regular after school sessions for GCSE and A level pupils and personal tutorials running most lunchtimes.
We are proud of the achievement of our pupils at both GCSE and A level and some have continued to study at some of the most prestigious Art establishments in Europe.
For more information contact:
Mr TD Birtwistle
Head of Creative Faculty