Art
The department aims to teach art in as broad a way as possible. The emphasis is on investigation and exploration – using differing materials and skills and in understanding Art in a wide context.
Welcome
Staff
Overview
Facilities
In the Classroom
Beyond the Classroom
Mr Ashley Barlow
We all believe that it is critically important to help a young person develop his or her creative abilities and that Art is ideally placed to serve this purpose. We attempt to offer a broad based art education – one in which our pupils not only gain many useful skills (drawing, painting etc), but also begin to understand Art in a wide context (through investigating artists and galleries).
Department Staff
- Mrs A Partridge
Department Overview
The early years (Forms 1 – 3) are an opportunity to introduce our pupils to a full a range of Art. Projects tend to be of a shorter duration but vary to maintain enthusiasm. Considerable emphasis is placed on drawing but so too is being able to develop creative ideas. Pupils will experience work in a wide variety of media both two and three dimensionally. Investigating other artists is an important aspect of our pupils’ studies. All forms take part in gallery visits, especially at GCSE and A level. Preps are set, of increasing duration, from Form One and a whole school art exhibition is held every year. A scholarship scheme is currently being set up and there are regular weekend workshops held throughout the year.
Facilities
The department is housed on two levels in the main building with a separate pottery. Currently, the top level has a large studio for sixth form use as well as an ICT suit (for all art pupils) and a store room and office. The down stairs level has another large studio with a large wash room. Facilities include screen printing equipment as well as a cylinder and roller press. The pottery is fully equipped with a separate kiln room.
In the Classroom
With large studios and excellent equipment and materials all our pupils have a tremendous opportunity to fully develop their artist skills and interests
GCSE
Taking this subject at GCSE level offers our pupils a significant increase in the time they are able to devote to this subject both in terms of classroom and prep time. We run a broad-based course (OCR) in which our pupils are free to try a wide range of media.
AS Level
This is a busy year in which our pupils are encouraged to investigate and experiment broadly. We offer the opportunity to work in both dimensions and, again place much emphasis on looking at art in context. We follow the OCR specification.
A Level
It is hoped that by the Upper Sixth our pupils will have developed considerable skills and an ability to work unsupervised for some of their studies. The emphasis is on depth of understanding and much of the teaching is conducted on a personal tutorial basis.
Beyond the Classroom
Considerable emphasis is placed on visiting art galleries. Recently our junior forms have visited local cathedrals and museums and our GCSE pupils visit, on average, one gallery per term. A level students, in addition, have visited London, Barcelona and Paris. A regular programme of weekend workshops and some evening classes are on offer including life drawing.
