The teaching of Art at TWGGS is designed to promote fluent communication in visual and tactile forms, enabling all pupils to express emotions, interpret observations, convey insights and accentuate their individuality.

Key Stage 3

At Key Stage 3, The schemes of work are designed to guide pupils through the four ‘Progress Objectives’ that define learning in Art lessons and through homework: Generating Ideas, Making, Evaluating and Knowledge. Through these schemes, we also meet the requirements for progression, planning for learning, assessment, recording and reporting, as outlined in the National Curriculum for Art and Design.

All planning is designed to establish good working practice and a strong skills base, whilst nurturing individual interpretation. Each year group has a different focus and subject, which is part of three years of accumulative learning. During this time, pupils explore the potential of materials, techniques and processes, and develop skills in the selection and handling of materials, as they make increasingly knowledgeable discriminations in their creative choices. Their work at Key Stage 3 introduces pupils to the project-based accumulative learning of both GCSE and A level Art.

All aspects of pupils’ learning are supported with appropriate examples of work by artists, craftsman and designers.

Year 7

Objective

This year offers an important foundation course and the basis for all learning in Key Stage 3. We teach pupils to look and record accurately through two and three-dimensional tasks, including drawing, mark-making, printing, sculpting and painting.

During the year, pupils create a series of responses which they collate to create a final composition with a background, mid-ground and a foreground. This is designed to reflect the diverse range of approaches taught and the concern for accurate proportion and perspective, tone, colour, texture and structure.

Year 8

Subjective

This year is designed to ensure all Year 8 pupils have subjective learning opportunities and increasing creative independence, based on skills transferred from Year 7 and new skills taught throughout the year. The emphasis is on looking, recording, evaluating and designing. With inspiration offered by pre-existing forms, pupils are encouraged to selecting interesting elements and then re-structure them as personal two and three-dimensional interpretations.
Year 9

Emotive

This year is designed to ensure all Year 9 pupils have learning opportunities that promote the expression of emotions and increasing creative independence, based on skills transferred from Years 7 and 8, and new skills taught throughout the year.

During the year, pupils are introduced to the symbolic potential of marks, colour and three-dimensional elements. They are then encouraged to create individual responses to reflect the emotive qualities of a poem or a piece of prose, using any of the materials and techniques introduced to them during Key Stage 3.

 

GCSE Art

GCSE Specification: Edexcel

GCSE Art begins with an induction course enabling pupils to gain the necessary skills they need to express themselves in a visual form and equip them with the concepts needed to embark on a personal project and outcome. This involves exploring, learning visual and analytical skills, researching, investigating, learning methodology, contextual references, reviewing and evaluating, producing and presenting.

The assessment objectives are the focus for learning, to ensure understanding of the essential elements for future project development. For all disciplines, pupils should:

AO1 – develop their ideas through investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and cultural understanding

AO2 – refine their ideas through exploration and selecting appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes

AO3 – record ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms

AO4 – present a personal, informed and meaningful response demonstrating analytical and critical understanding, realising intentions and, where appropriate, making connections between visual, written, oral and other elements

The disciplines associated with Art GCSE are painting and drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramic design, photography, film and video. Pupils will be required to work in two or more of the disciplines in each unit submitted. When choosing Art and Design, pupils should have an interest in and motivation for the subject and should take into account the amount of work involved, in addition to the allocated lessons.

Materials are largely provided by the Art Department. Each project requires a sketchbook: the first is provided for a collection of experimental studies, but pupils should budget for subsequent sketchbooks. Pupils would benefit from acquiring a range of art materials for homework tasks, and this should include soft drawing pencils, a set of pastels, charcoal and water colour paints. 

Unit 1

Personal Portfolio in Art and Design

72 marks

60% of GCSE

Two projects that must show evidence of all assessment objectives and include a work journal or collection of related studies.

This coursework is set and marked internally but moderated externally.
Unit 2

Externally Set Assignment in Art and Design

72 marks

40% of GCSE

This assignment must show evidence of all assessment objectives and include a work journal or collection of related studies. This is set and moderated externally but internally marked. Pupils have 8 weeks preparation time and a 10-hour timed examination thereafter.

Edexcel specification for GCSE Art

A Level

Specification: AQA Fine Art

This is a two-year course which provides a stimulating, creative but structured basis for those intending to pursue Art and Design this higher level. Art is a popular choice at A Level for those with a strong interest in creating and understanding Art, and with the determination and enthusiasm to develop personal directions and outcomes through analysis, critical thinking and exploration.

At TWGGS we follow a Fine Art endorsement which encompasses painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and alternative media. Pupils are encouraged to develop these skills in a creative, imaginative, intuitive and intellectual way. The experimental, investigative and practical nature of the course develops aesthetic and critical awareness. The structure of the course, which includes either keeping a working sketchbook or planning sheets and analytical writing, encourages sound working practice and the ability to think sequentially.

The course begins with a structured ‘two-term foundation’ designed to introduce pupils to the four-assessment objectives and good A Level practice. Based around a title, all pupils will learn how to:

AO1 - develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding;

AO2 - explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops;

AO3 - record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress;

AO4 - present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.

For Lower Sixth pupils we organise a day of gallery and exhibition visits. This offers a valuable opportunity to gather information as a starting point for the development of ideas and individual pathways for their own work. However, it is expected that pupils studying Art up to this level will visit galleries and exhibitions regularly. Costs are kept to a minimum although sketchbooks need to be budgeted for and, in addition, a portfolio is essential for interviews.

For those intending to undertake Foundation or Degree Courses, A Level Art is vital and is relevant to a wide range of careers. These include advertising, working in media, architecture, fashion and textiles, interior design, fashion, theatre, museum, gallery work and of course, working as an artist. Pupils who have aptitude and interest in the subject but do not intend to take the subject beyond A Level, would also find the course rewarding and challenging. Pupils could also go straight into a job as the GCE is a recognised qualification that will encourage the exploration of the creative mind and the development of the basic skills, understanding and knowledge that many employers are looking for.

Component 1

Personal Investigation
From September, until the end of January of the second year.

(Pupils can carry work forward from their ‘two term foundation’ as this component has no time limit.)

This needs to be a coherent, in-depth study, supported by written work that demonstrates the pupil’s ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning from an initial starting point to a final realisation.
Component 2

Externally set assignment

From 1st February, of the second year of study, until the end of the exam date in May.

Following receipt of the examination paper, pupils consider the starting points, select one and carry out an in-depth study (based on assessment objectives AO1, AO2 and AO3) until the start of the unaided, supervised examination time. During the 15 hours examination pupils will produce a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes (AO4), informed by their preparatory work.

AQA specification for A Level Fine Art

 

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