Key Stage 3 Art

The Art Department in St Marys Catholic College  is a successful and lively department which currently comprises two full-time Teachers and a full time technician that are committed to providing our students with a varied and exciting Art experience within the curriculum. Our department strives to ensure each student, at each key stage, is given the opportunity to respond creatively and imaginatively to tasks across a range of disciplines. We encourage students to hone their existing skills and begin to develop a love of working with mixed media approaches to making, good technical skills and a creative outlook to problem solving in the subject.

Each member of our team has a specialist subject relating to art, which we promote as part of our everyday teaching practice.

As a team we can honestly say that it is the pupils that make the art department what it is. We have a mixture of students with all different interests that our offered projects and curriculum cater for, from textiles, fine art and even budding photographers, all who share a common goal to fulfil their potential and establish themselves as young artists of the future. The art department options’ that students can pursue has developed; choices at GCSE and A-Level include Art & Design allowing the opportunity to explore fine art, print, photography and 3d ceramic and Textiles Design exploring fashion, interior and print are built into the curriculum our department offer.

Opportunities are sought for pupils to experience art in the wider sector; links are made with visiting artists, and extracurricular trips are arranged to visit exhibitions and galleries in our local area. The opportunity to take part in workshops and attend well known local artists’ presentations are promoted to raise awareness about future career opportunities as students progress into the wider world of education and work. In the past our students have had the exciting opportunity to work alongside Artist’s such as Ian Murphy and David Setter to create artwork.

Extra-curricular Activities include: Open workshops for students every lunch time in the art department and after school art club Monday to Thursday every week 2: 50 - 4.00pm. We also offer Saturday Catch-up sessions for key stage 4 & 5 during the academic year.

"The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or on his doorstep. It is never far away". Paul Strand American film-maker and photographer

 

Key stage three–

Projects are planned to cover cultures from around the world, movements in art; including traditional and contemporary artists and themselves. Portfolios are used extensively for homework and class work, these are an important resource for the students and they are encouraged to develop them in a creative and expressive way, by including drawings, ideas, notes and research on artists.

Year 7:  we build upon the technical skills in Art and Design and the creativity and imagination of the students that have been established at Key Stage 2.

We do this by following three units across the year, one per term. Within the units we aim to develop a variety of skills - Examples of projects include;

Year 7: observation based on natural form, Basic skills & techniques. Across all units however it is the creativity, exploration, experimentation and the student’s response to the artwork of others that develops them as artists.

Year 8:

Project one: Georgia O’Keefe & Relief printing that includes poly-tile and Mono print techniques.

  Project two: Nature inspired soap sculptures looking at Barbara Hepworth and Peter Randall – Page.

Year 9:

Project one.  “Sweet dreams are made of this” Still life painting of sweets & treats.

Project two. “Celebrities past and present” inspired by Rah Crawford.

Students are taught the skills and techniques needed to allow them to express their ideas and feelings; recording from observation is seen as an important part of the curriculum and is often the starting point to a project. Students are taught about how art and design shapes our history culturally and creatively. The themes which students respond to are based on their own world and the world around them. 

Homework is an integral part of the curriculum and each pupil receives no less than 60 minutes of homework per fortnight which sets challenge and contributes to the pupil’s ability to learn independently please see our learning programmes where you can access  the homework set. 

How they will be assessed?

Formatively, as teachers we employ a written feedback system which outlines pupils’ strengths and areas for development. Peer assessment is also used as an effective tool to encourage both, discussion, negotiation and analysis skills. At the end of each half term pupils are given summative feedback which is documented in their sketchbook this reflects on their progress, areas for development along with the level achieved, during the final two weeks of each project students will undertake an Assessment and have opportunity to reflect and improve on any feedback.

Pupils communicate through class discussion sharing their thought and opinions, peer assessment and group work. Independent study is encouraged through a series of homework’s which include research, development and evaluation. Artwork is also peer marked and self-assessed.