Our approach
Knowledge-rich
It is important for our students to study Art because it allows individuals and class groups to develop their understanding of the world around them in relation to visual culture. Art represents and challenges the historical and contemporary world in ways which give students a creative voice and means of working through aspects of the human condition. In Art, students have to problem solve, critique and experiment with ideas and research, forming key skills essential to life-long learning and critical thinking in the wider world. Students develop knowledge of the various contexts in which different artists see and interpret the world, and knowledge of the context of the subjects they explore. This develops students’ ethical considerations when making decisions about the content and subject matter for their own work. This knowledge is underpinned by an in-depth consideration of why these techniques and processes construct specific meanings, and how the student can use art as a medium to initiate a creative and productive dialogue.
Vocabulary-rich
Visual language and vocabulary are important in Art as it provides students with the tools to make work practically and understand the work of artists meaningfully. Vocabulary plays a big part in how each student understands the work of other artists, and in how each student articulates their own practice. Students use of key vocabulary provides the foundation for critical and analytical annotations on their work and the work of other artists.
Mastery
In Art, students are given as a foundation in year 7 the artistic process from initial idea, artist research through to planning and realising their own intention. This foundation builds onto more independent and confident study across key stage three and sequenced into key stage four. Where students have mastered and specialised within a range of mediums and areas of research, the key stage four content enables them to develop original work and take creative risks within their practice.
Progression Planning
When students begin art in year 7, they are familiar with interpreting art and understanding how formal elements [line, tone, form, texture, colour, composition] make up a composition. Students begin to master analytical skills in order to think through their own work in more depth. In year 7, the focus is portraits, year 8 is The Expressionists, and then year 9 is the Surrealists, which combines both the year 7 and year 8 foci. This means a student that chooses not to continue studying art, has the foundational knowledge and cultural capital of a good art student. Students then push their artistic skills, knowledge, and vocabulary further at key stage four, with the final unit readying them for further study post-16.
Enrichment
The Art curriculum is enriched through offering after school drop-in art sessions, on Saturdays in the run up to exams and half terms. We have collaborated with students at Dulwich College, South London Galley and Hauser and Wirth Gallery, who visited to help students with mock exams. The Courtauld Gallery provided online workshops to enrich students’ learning over lockdown. We have links with Chelsea College of Art and Camberwell College of Arts (UAL) who do outreach with us, helping students with portfolios and providing weekend and half term workshops.
We enrich our curriculum through visits from galleries: SLG Gallery, 198 Caribbean Gallery, Tate Modern and Royal Academy exhibition visits along with Dulwich Picture Gallery. Art in the Park in Burgess Park enriched our lockdown learning through online learning workshops. We take Photography students to the Photographer's Gallery. The Royal Academy have visited to provide drawing workshops. We have an MA student from Central Saint Martin’s visiting to provide a photobooth workshop on colourism. We aim to bring in further guest speakers from the art industry to provide inspiration for potential career pathways.
We do this to develop students' cultural capital and broaden their horizons. Visits help to inform intentions for Key Stage 4 and strengthen engagement with art, through first-hand observations, providing stimuli for primary research to support students for success in the key stage 4 assessment objectives. Along with supporting success in the assessments, enrichment means students build confidence and develop citizenship and fundamental British values through engagement with both local and greater London cultural institutions.
Mr G Gayle
Year 7
Students study Art in a termly rotation with Drama and DT
Term 1 | |
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WHAT IS IDENTITY? How do artists communicate identity through art? Mind map of ideas concerned with identity, both personal and social, cultural, and institutional – discuss issues around identity: Gender Religion Stereotyping Bullying Inequality Racism Students to complete self-portraits from observation – closely studying facial features and proportion, developing skills in line, tone, texture, and form |
WHAT COMPONENTS MAKE UP IDENTITY? Aesthetic Cultural Social Memory Dreams Genetics Psychological factors Experience/ circumstance Geography Students to discuss and produce work in relation to 1-3 of these factors and an artist studied, quote from Carl Jung about memory as EXT to respond to artists |
Term 2 | |
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IS IDENTITY STABLE OR FIXED? Students to produce work in response to ‘producing feelings’ and homework to record dreams, thoughts and reflections Students to use this to create a series of portraits that perform feeling through drawing/ painting Students to write reflection on process – artists in focus – Francis Bacon/ Tracey Emin |
IS IDENTITY GENETIC OR LEARNED? Artist in focus – Marc Quinn/ Chuck close – fingerprints and artists self as canvas How do we learn identity and how is it produced? Students to create two portraits – how we see ourselves and how others see us Students to discuss and compare the differences between internal perception and presentation of identity to others |
ROTATE | End of Unit Assessment |
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SHOULD ART TELL A STORY OR POSE A PROBLEM? Discuss ideas about self-image, violence, plastic surgery body modification in relation to the manipulation of identity – why do we constantly want to change ourselves? Students to decide on an issue with identity in society and create a portrait in response to communicate this problem Written reflection on the purpose and effectiveness of the work Artist in focus Cindy Sherman |
Revision of ideas, knowledge, and skills EXAM |
Year 8
Students study Art in a termly rotation with Drama and DT
Term 1 | |
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THEME-THE EXPRESSIONIST (ROTATION) What were the expressionist movements? Students begin to create mind map of German Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism. Students create a range of drawings and begin to look at De Bruick Posters What was this movement all about? What was the Manifesto? |
KEY PROCESSES RECORD: Develop ideas and intentions from a range of observations looking at primary and secondary sources How do we create good direct observations? How is looking important in drawing? How and what ways can we observe in Art? |
Term 2 | |
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ARTIST RESEARCH: How do we use research and a range of enquiry questions in art, craft, and design? How do Artists and Designers inform their understanding through their work and ideas? What ways can we look at Artist work through content, mood, and composition? |
EXPERIMENTATION: Students need to work on experimentations of media such as pencil crayons, pencils, graphite, water colour and paint How do we understand art, and design processes and develop them through our application through skilful development |
Rotate | End of Unit Assessment |
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PRESENT: It is very important that students are able to plan and present a Final Outcome Students need to also need to annotate ideas, plan and learn to realise their intentions through planning, application, and literacy |
Revision of content, context, and skills EXAM |
Year 9
Students study Art in a termly rotation with Drama and DT.
Term 1 | |
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THEME-SURREALISM/BODIES (ROTATION) What is Surrealism? Students mind map ideas based on conflict Students produce Imaginative images, artefacts, ideas, and a range of outcomes Explore/Experimenting with ideas, materials, tools, techniques, and processes Juxtaposition, metamorphosis, distortion, proportion, scale, metaphysical art, figurative drawing, and assemblage. |
KEY PROCESSES RECORD: Develop ideas and intentions from first-hand observations, inspiration, and imagination (Applying Primary/Secondary Sources) How do we observe? How do we look in Art? Drawing and Painting Collage Wire Sculpture |
Term 2 | |
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ARTIST RESEARCH: Use research and investigation skills appropriate to art craft and design How Artists, Designers and craft persons inform your ideas through looking at Salvador Dali, Dechirico, Hannah Hoch, Dorothea Tanning and Afro Surrealism |
EXPERIMENTATION: Organise and use a range of materials; ink, pencil, graphite, water colour, paint, and card To understand art, craft, and design processes |
Rotate | End of Unit Assessment |
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PRESENT: Present and organise an informed Final Outcome How can you annotate your ideas and make reflections? Develop ideas and Knowledge through literacy, planning, and development of realising their intentions Students should produce a drawing outcome and a printing outcome. |
Revision of ideas, knowledge, and skills EXAM |
Year 10
Autumn | |
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1 Students will learn about how to begin a project in GCSE Art from A01 -4, beginning via intro to theme and techniques with research, ideas, and observation 1.1 Students will complete the following work: 1.2 DEVELOP (A01) Students select images for the theme surface/texture and create stimuli They develop a range of ideas based on the artists; Jerry Wilkerson, pointillism, Louise Nelson, Ty Tombly, Julie Merhurtu, Aslem Keifer, Marcia Gygil King, Auerbach, Impasto, Maya Rochat, Yayoi, and Jackson Pollock Students choose from classical and modern styles students research and develop ideas How do they fit into the context of the theme surfaces? 1.2.2 EXPERIMENTATION (A02) The students work from stimuli with emotional responses |
2 Students will learn how to address and evidence A02 in the sketchbook and portfolio via practice-based workshop sessions to explore a range of materials, techniques, and processes 2.1 Students will complete the following work: 2.2 Students will use a variety of media and effects to create textural and detailed independent experiments through: printing, stitching, batik making, felting, marbling, tissue, scratching, sgraffito, as well as drawing and painting Students will show skilful improvements through continue practice Students will build on confidence and independence in a wide range of materials and take risks as well as problem solving What ways can you skilfully develop and explore materials? |
Spring | |
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3. Students will learn about A03, including methods of recording visually and documenting the creative process, including how to link ideas to research and practice, and how to make work relevant to intentions 3.1 Students will complete the following work: 3.1.1 RECORDING (A03) Students use line, informed mark making to build on primary and secondary sources to complete a varied range of detail observational drawings; we will explore natural forms How can direct observational studies help you with looking? Drawings should be completed in a range of drawing media and effectively (students should apply the formal elements-line, tone, shape, form, space, and texture) Students’ drawings should be completed in a range off drawing media 3.2 Students will learn about presenting final outcomes and what AQA mean by personal, informed, and meaningful responses 3.2.2 Students will complete the following work: 3.3 FINAL IDEA (A04) Students will apply and explore their chosen theme and will create a final response to the theme They should be able to annotate their findings and create a final idea that reflects their understanding emotively responding and critically and analysing the project through their own eyes How can you respond through your work to develop a confident Final Outcome? |
4. A01 – Develop ideas through thorough investigations demonstrating critical understanding of courses – Students will learn how to undertake primary and secondary research pertinent to theme via gallery visits, artist research and discussion/ application of research in practice 4.1 Students will complete the following work: 4.1.2 Students begin this project by visiting a gallery of their choice-RA, SLG, Tate Modern/Britain, White Cube etc this will be used for inspiration of the project Students will investigate artists; Marlene Dumas, Frida Kahlo, Banksy, Alberto Giacometti, Soutine, Egon Schiele, Cindy Sherman, Frank Auerbach, and the German Expressionist (They are to look at a range of styles) Students should be able to develop their understanding of mark making through these artists 4.1.3 How can you develop a range of processes to help you understand mark making? Develop (A01) |
Summer | |
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5. Students will learn how to exhaust an idea using a variety of media, techniques, and processes, refining idea as work develops via a range of practice-based workshops and group crits 5.1 Students will complete the following work: 5.1.2 Experimentation (A02) Students will use a varied range of medium, effects, and ideas to create a series of experimentations-they need to be skilful to show improvements, colour, ink, textile, pastel, collage, 3D, painting and drawing, and stitching. These range of skills will help the students to build confidence in their work Record (A03) Students must use line through tonal marking, build up 3D effects, and apply primary and secondary sources. It is important they can collaborate photography through applying the effects of composition and scale through understanding the formal elements 5.1.3 Is it possible to apply a range of ideas and link them into the theme surfaces? |
6 Students will learn how to create a personal, informed, and meaningful response to theme via group discussion, planning and experimenting towards the final idea during lessons, they will gather materials and consolidate plans for homework: 6.1 Students will complete the following work: 6.1.2 END OF TERM EXAM The mock exam will be focused on (A04) in which students annotate their findings and create a final response This will be a 5-hour Task under examination conditions Students will use all time to complete outstanding for PFO Mount all large-scale work |
Homework |
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Students will learn how to create a personal, informed, and meaningful response to theme via group discussion, planning and experimenting towards the final idea during lessons, they will gather materials and consolidate plans for homework: Students will receive direct tasks on Show My Homework in regard to their theme |
To Stretch Myself... |
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I could visit a gallery in London or a local gallery I could develop skills and processes through looking at Pinterest and BBC bitesize |
KS4 Exam Board |
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AQA |
Year 11
Autumn | |
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1. Students begin this project by visiting a gallery of their choice-RA, SLG, Tate Modern/Britain, White Cube etc this will be used for inspiration of the project 1.1 Students will investigate artists; Marlene Dumas, Frida Kahlo, Banksy, Alberto Giacometti, Soutine, Egon Schiele, Cindy Sherman, Frank Auerbach, and the German Expressionist (They are to look at a range of styles) Why are these artists relevant to the unit? 1.2 Students should be able to develop their understanding of mark making through these artists How can we expand and develop our understanding of mark making? 1.3 Develop (A01) 1.3 Students will complete the following: Portraits from observation, portraits in response to selected artists, analysis of artwork, reflection on own work, development of own ideas. 1.4 Students will learn the following: How do I create a realistic portrait from observation? Proportion, line, tone, form; how to respond to the work of other artists, how to communicate different ideas about identity through drawing, painting, and other media, how to analyse the work of others and reflect critically on own work. |
2. Experimentation (A02) 2.1 Students will use a varied range of medium, effects, and ideas to create a series of experimentations-they need to be skilful to show improvements: colour, ink, textile, pastel, collage, 3D, painting and drawing, and stitching. 2.1.1 These range of skills will help the students to build confidence in their work Record (A03) 2.2 Students must use line through tonal marking, build up 3D effects, and apply primary and secondary sources. It is important they can collaborate photography through applying the effects of composition and scale through understanding the formal elements 2.2.2 How do we explore the elements in Art? What can we create? 2.3 Students will complete the following: A series of portraits demonstrating different skills and proficiency in use of a variety of materials [pen, pencil, charcoal, watercolour, mixed media] to develop attainment [emerging, developing, mastering] Students will learn the following: How to effectively use a range of materials to create portraits, how to problem solve as work develops, how to reflect on own work and make rapid and sustained progress practically and conceptually. |
Spring | |
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3. MOCK EXAM 3.1 The mock exam will be focused on (A04) in which students annotate their findings and create a final response This will be a 5-hour Task under examination conditions Students will use all time to complete outstanding for PFO Mount all large-scale work 3.1.1 What do you need to be successful in your MOCK? 3.1.2 Students will complete the following: Final piece informed by research and investigation 3.1.3 Students will learn the following: How to I create a personal informed and meaningful response? |
4. EXTERNALLY SET TASK 4.1 Students are given a task presented by AQA to develop a journal using all four assessment objectives They only have 10 weeks of planning 4.2 DEVELOP (A01) Stimuli and look at the exam prep paper with artists, mind map ideas, create a mood page Look at a collection of slides and ppt, books, and gallery visit for half term 4.2.1 Work with appropriate media and make direct links in work 4.2.2 How can the relevant artists inform our work and ideas? 4.2.3 Students will complete the following: Mind map, title page, initial ideas based on chosen exam question Students will learn the following: How to I research my chosen theme? How can I develop ideas in response to this theme? |
Summer | |
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5. RECORD (A03) 5.1 Practice drawing methods and other drawing skills-Primary and Secondary recordings 5.1.1 Apply and link with research the work of selected artists 5.2 EXPERIMENTATIONS (A02) 5.2.1 Refine ideas with a range of medium, build confidence and independence 5.2.2 How can Students select and make choices in their work and ideas and think how to refine and develop? Students will complete the following: A series of drawings from observation demonstrating relevance and skill in terms of recording ideas in response to exam theme 5.3 Students will learn the following: How to record observations and insights relevant to theme as work progresses |
6. PRESENT (A04) 6.1 Students produce final compositions and explore the chosen theme Explore in depth and annotate all ideas and make links, with mind map and thumbnail sketches 6.1.2 Students create their plan for the 10-hour exam task and reflections 6.1.3 How can students emotively respond and critically analyse the project? 6.2 Must create Final Idea 6.2.1 Students will complete the following: Final informed meaningful response to exam question – mounted and presented Students will learn the following: How to work independently over 10 hours to create a sustained, independent critical response to exam theme |
Homework |
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Students will receive direct task in regard to their theme They constantly need to show planning, reflections, and development in the journal through annotations Weekly task will be directed by Teacher How can it be link to studio work and research? |
To Stretch Myself... |
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I could visit a gallery in London or a local gallery I could develop skills and processes through looking at Pinterest and BBC bitesize Galleries: Tate Britain/Tate Modern Royal Academy of Art Natural History Museum Saatchi Gallery White Cube Gallery |
KS4 Exam Board |
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AQA |