Art

Staffing

• Ms. C. Dean (Head of Department)
• Mr. W. Y. Chan
• Mrs. R. Parker

Art is a language, a means of communication. It can say things, which cannot easily be said in words. The concepts of colour, line, shape, tone and texture are the individual words of that language.

THE DEPARTMENT

The department has three specialised teaching rooms, where students have access to a range of media. In addition to the specially allocated computer suites in the school, the department also has network-linked computers where students have Internet access and both colour and b/w computer printing facilities. In addition to the availability of a range media from painting and drawing materials in all rooms we also offer specialist teaching materials and equipment, at least one in each different room, compromising of 3D Pottery/Ceramics photography and litho printmaking facilities.

 

Key Stage 3:

Through years 7 9 Art & Design is taught to all students for one lesson per week. Each student is provided with a 40 page Personal Visual Diary in which they are encouraged to work both at home and in suitable class studies. Throughout all the courses/themes offered, students are encouraged to use the vocabulary of design i.e. Line, shape, colour, tone texture, pattern, form, colour composition etc. they also make reference to the work of other artists, designers and craft persons past and present.

The whole course is taught as a complete entity in itself. It is structured to enable students to develop their work through both 2 and 3 dimensions. This provides all students regardless of ability, a suitable grounding from which to develop. Each student is given the opportunity to experience different approaches to Art Craft and Design, working individually, in groups and as part of a whole class. He rotates between three different specialized? teachers, and works in a variety of media and techniques throughout the whole KS3 course.

The course in each year group is taught mainly on a thematic basis. Each theme across all years involves the students in investigating the work of other artists? and designers from a range of different cultures.

The main THEMES around which various Units of study are presently broadly covered in each year are:

Yr 7 - LETTERING Colour through pencil, paint, pastel and developed further into textural 3d studies. Yr 8 - CULTURAL STUDIES African Japanese and Chinese Art also included in the year are the formal elements of the studies of THE HUMAN HEAD which develop through to Mask design studies. Yr 9 - DIRECT FROM OBSERVATION - Drawing and art appreciation studies Students individually select and study the work of other artists.

These THEMES are not a means solely in their own right and are expanded and modified, as each teacher feels necessary. Each individual teacher incorporates their own programme of study based on each of these broad themes. Worksheets assist pupils in each year?s themes. They are progressive and each student is guided through their lessons by whole group discussion and demonstration, small group discussion and demonstration and each individual pupil?s own personal guidance, where possible. Here each pupil is stretched to their full potential, by their own response to research and development through both class and homework studies.

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Key Stage 4:

Years 10&11:

Pupils with a positive interest in this subject are encouraged to further develop their own personal skills and techniques in a variety of media by selecting to study Art & Design to a final Examination towards the end of the course in year 11. From here they are guided further in their choice of career through the many links we have on either advanced study courses at a suitable college, which specifically relates to their strengths and invariably the work place/industry.

A G.C.S.E - Art and Design qualification is a must for any student thinking of a career in any aspect of Art and Design. This includes such activities as Advertising, C.A.D., Commercial Illustration Design, Display, Graphics, and Sign-writing etc.

However, we recognise that the majority of boys who opt for any of the design courses will be looking for a career elsewhere, and we welcome boys who take Art as a means of complementing their option choices.

The main criterion for students, regardless of their level of ability, gaining success in this subject at examination level is not just based on skill and ability, but a willingness to work hard, both in class and with regular homework. They enjoy the experience, develop new skills, and gain confidence, ultimately achieving success in different areas of the course offered.

This school follows the AQA General/Unendorsed Syllabus where both the coursework and examination studies are marked internally and moderated externally. At the end of the course both areas form an exhibition of work from selected studies presented from over their whole course:

60% of the total examination grade is achieved from an exhibition of coursework in term 5 of the course. This contains at least three coursework assignments in a minimum of two different areas of study.

40% of the total grade is achieved from closely monitored examination studies developed over a period of 4 weeks, which culminates in a 10-hour exam in February/March of year 11.

During the course, students are offered opportunities to visit galleries to enable them to work direct from source material relative to their course and exam studies. In the last year we have taken students to the Manchester Art Galleries, Liverpool Tate and London Art Galleries.

This department offers students an interesting and well-developed Unendorsed/General Art & Design Fine Art based course incorporating a number of different areas of study. A wide range of materials/media and techniques are explored throughout:

• Painting and Drawing
• Graphics computer aided design
• Textiles
• 3D/Ceramics - papermaking, collage etc.
• Printing
• Photography - digital imagery are incorporated throughout the course.

Units of study presently undertaken are based around the following themes:

• Aboriginal Art Main area of study Painting
• Indian Art Main area of study Pattern Design Textiles, batik and printmaking
• Pop Art Design based images developed through to large scale paintings
• Lettering/Design of a hypothetical thematic FOOD company Graphics, supported by ICT/CAD
• Still Life/Cubism Mixed media, all skills areas developed through independent research.
• All units reflect reference to the work of a variety of individual Artists and Designers.

As the syllabus offered here offers such a wide range of media the G.C.S.E. course provides a firm basis for students to further develop their independent skills through to AS and A2 levels. We have successfully placed a number of students on Art based foundation and direct entry degree courses.

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AS Level

Ideally we accept students onto the A.S. course who have followed a full G.C.S.E. course and attained at least a grade C in this subject.

As there is much independent study and self-direction and motivation required we occasionally consider students who may not necessarily provide a high skills level, but who can provide evidence of a portfolio of studies which reflect independent study and a variety of media areas undertaken on their previous course.

At AS & A2 this school follows the AQA Fine Art Syllabus where both the coursework and examination studies are marked internally and moderated externally. At the end of the course all of their units of study form an exhibition of work where preparatory and final pieces are presented from over their whole course:

AS 2 Coursework Units [30% of final total A level marks] & 1 Examination Unit [20%] are assessed to form the total grade. All Units are thematically based and students are encouraged to work from an initial starting point, but to deviate into independent studies as their work progresses.

Unit 1 Observational Studies

Unit 2 The Place

Unit 3 Candidates select 1 question from a selection offered by the examination board and are given 4 weeks in which to provide research and preparation for a final 5 hour examination study.

A2 In addition to the results achieved at AS - 2 Coursework Units [each 30%] & 1 Examination Unit [2% of the final a level marks,] are assessed to form the total accumulative grade at A? level. 2 Units are independently selected from 3 Optional Units: [Unit 6 is the presentation of a 3,000 word independent analysis on an individually selected related area of art chosen by the candidate], [Unit 5 is the presentation of a 1,000 word analysis in support of larger scale studies.] Unit 7 - Examination Unit is again where candidates select 1 question from a paper provided by the Examination board 4 weeks prior to a timed 15 hour study.

As students complete their A.S. course, a review of their wish to follow this subject to A2 level is considered. All students are introduced to the new units for the A2 course towards the end of their academic year.

During the course, students are offered opportunities to visit galleries to enable them to work direct from source material relative to their course and exam studies. In the last year we have organised visits and taken students following the examination courses, from the end of yr 9, to the Manchester Art Galleries, Liverpool Tate and London Art Galleries. Examination students are also encouraged to make independent visits to museums and galleries, in order for them to incorporate their own independent research into their studies. Biannually we organize a 5 day trip to Paris for 6th form students. Exhibitions of our selected students work can be seen in the borough as we annually participate in the Tameside Schools exhibitions and also work is externally selected and displayed in Denton Town Hall from across all years.

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