The Art department is a vibrant and exciting space within the school, made up of four experienced and dedicated members of staff. We provide opportunities to experience a wide range of disciplines and enable students to create diverse and exciting personal outcomes. Our curriculum is based on a wide range of contextual material from historical works of Art to more contemporary works and cultures.
As a department we pride ourselves on creating a supportive and welcoming environment which is fully inclusive for all students to enable them to reach their very best potential.
We strive to make the Art department the focus for visual learning throughout the school. Our excellent examples of student’s work are displayed around the school building, showcasing the high standards that we achieve. Our A level students host a yearly exhibition of their work to share their success and inspire others.Miss Pittman Subject Leader for Art
Throughout each Key Stage our students are taught a variety of media and techniques. Along with traditional Painting and Drawing we offer Textiles, Print Making, Sculpture, Ceramics and Digital Photography.
Working in the Creative Industries
Art and Design GCSE
If you like painting, illustrating, taking photographs, visiting galleries, experimenting with 3D materials and textiles and want to develop or learn new and similar skills then this is the course for you.
The GCSE in Art and Design is designed to be a general course encompassing art, craft and design. Work produced for this qualification will demonstrate the use of the Art and Design formal elements and creative skills. The disciplines associated with the GCSE Art and Design are painting and drawing, printmaking, sculpture,
alternative media and constructed textiles.
This course will allow you to gain an insight into lots of different aspects of Art and Design, including : painting and drawing, printmaking, sculpture and alternative media. Students who have a particular interest in textiles can, to some extent, specialise in this aspect.
Art and Design: Photography GCSE
The Art Photography course teaches you technical photographic skills covering the formal elements and how to digitally and physically manipulate photographs in an artistic and creative way.
You will be required to take photographs in your own time, and the majority of lessons will be on laptops editing photographs, physically creating mixed media
pieces of art work or analysing photography.
In many careers it is necessary that you show originality and the ability to develop your own ideas, and show ‘creative flair’. Many employers also value students who understand the design process and can follow an idea to an inventive conclusion.
Art Photography will help you interpret images. More specifically, if you are considering a career in any of the following areas you might need to do an Art photography course followed by Further Education courses: Travel Photography, Photojournalism, Picture Editing, Commercial Photography or Fine Art Photography.
Art and Design/Photography A Level
The course is designed around theme based projects that are chosen and independently explored by our pupils. Students receive their own space in the A Level studio and receive a combination of teaching in group activities or personal 121 mentoring sessions.
The final grade is composed of 60% course work and 40% exam. The Art and Design and Photography courses meet the assessment objectives by evidencing analysis of contemporary and/or traditional art, development and experimentation with independent ideas and usually flow through to a large scale final outcome.
There is a written component in which pupils must debate a question and explain their art work linking with their contextual studies.
Entry Requirements
- Students must have a desire to think imaginatively, creatively and independently. Students should have a confident ability in drawing to study the Art and Design unendorsed course.
- Students must have gained a level 5 or above in GCSE Art/Art Photography and English for both courses.
- Students wishing to study the Photography endorsement must have access to a camera outside of school.
- Students must have a passion for Art and/or Design.
Future Careers
Both endorsements can lead to a variety of future careers. Along with specialist
careers in Fine Art, the A Level courses prepare you for a career in Fashion,
Graphic Design, Architecture, Photography, Textiles, Interior Design, Teaching, and Computer Graphics.
Art A Level is recognised as an entry qualification for a wide variety of Art Foundation courses and Arts degrees at University.
| A Level | 100% A* - C |
|---|---|
| GCSE Art | 83 % 9- 4 and 53% 9 – 5 |
| GCSE Art Photography | 88% 9 – 4 and 40% 9 - 5 |
Miss S Pittman
Associate Assistant Headteacher and Subject Lead for Art
spittman@kgaprospect.uk
Mrs R Butler
Art Teacher
rbutler@kgaprospect.uk
Mr D Brixton
Art and Art Photography Teacher
dbrixton@kgaprospect.uk