Art & Design
Artistic creation and appreciation have always played a powerful part in people’s lives as a pleasurable activity providing fulfilment through life. People of every culture have found the need to share ideas, opinions and feelings through Art and Design. It provides vital experience in the development of imagination, the ability to think laterally and in understanding the sensory world around us.
Knowledge of the work of artists, designers, and creative thinkers, including those from different traditions and times, contributes significantly to developing cultural understanding and enhances learning across the curriculum. It can enable links to be made within the community beyond school.
Art and Design makes pupils aware of their own creative potential through a wide range of artistic experiences offering pupils a unique way of communicating and is a means of developing self-confidence and self-esteem.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to become creative, independent and reflective artists. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, students progressively build their understanding of the formal elements of art while exploring a wide range of artistic disciplines including drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, mixed media and digital processes.
Each year is organised around engaging thematic projects that encourage students to investigate artists, architects and designers from different cultures, historical periods and contemporary practice. Students learn to observe, analyse and respond creatively to the world around them, developing increasingly sophisticated technical skills alongside their ability to generate original ideas and personal responses.
Sketchbooks form an integral part of the curriculum and are used to record observations, develop research, analyse the work of artists, refine ideas and reflect on progress. Throughout Key Stage 3, students are encouraged to experiment confidently with a wide range of materials and techniques whilst developing resilience, curiosity and independence.
The curriculum is underpinned by a series of ‘Big Ideas’ that revisit and build upon core concepts each year, including observational drawing, colour theory, composition, mark-making, cultural understanding, experimentation, critical analysis and creative problem-solving. Students also gain an insight into the wide range of careers within the creative industries through carefully selected case studies and curriculum links.
By Year 9, the aim is that students are working with increasing independence, producing more sustained investigations that closely reflect the creative journey undertaken at GCSE. They develop stronger observational drawing skills, undertake more in-depth artist research, experiment purposefully with a range of media and refine their ideas towards increasingly personal outcomes. This provides a strong foundation for those who choose to continue their artistic studies at Key Stage 4.
Assessment
Students are assessed continuously throughout each project through practical work, sketchbook development, artist research, knowledge quizzes and final outcomes. Assessment focuses on the development of technical skills, creative thinking, knowledge and understanding, and students’ ability to refine and communicate their ideas. This approach ensures sustained progress throughout Key Stage 3 while preparing students for the demands of GCSE Art, Craft and Design.
Year 7
Artist Toolbox – students develop the fundamental knowledge and practical skills required to become confident artists. They are introduced to colour theory, observational drawing and painting, learning how to use the formal elements including line, tone, shape, colour and pattern. Through the study of artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Sarah Graham, students develop drawing accuracy, colour-blending techniques and critical analysis, culminating in a sustained personal outcome.
Insects – building on their understanding of observational drawing, students investigate insects through close observation, mark-making and colour. Inspired by the detailed work of Rosalind Monks, they refine their use of texture, layering and composition before designing and creating a mixed media outcome that combines drawing, painting and collage.
This is Manchester – students explore Manchester’s industrial heritage and cultural identity through drawing, printmaking and ceramics. Inspired by artists including Eduardo Paolozzi and Micheal Lang, students investigate symbolism, typography and local landmarks before designing and producing a relief clay tile and an expressive print celebrating the city.
Year 8
Pop Art & Icons – students investigate the Pop Art movement through the work of artists including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Julian Opie. They develop portrait drawing using proportion and the golden ratio before exploring printmaking, collage and mixed media to create a contemporary Pop Art-inspired magazine cover based on a chosen cultural icon.
Graffiti – students explore the history and visual language of street art while developing increasingly personal responses. Through the work of artists such as Keith Haring and Lady Pink, they investigate symbolism, typography and identity, creating expressive artworks that combine drawing, painting and graphic design.
Day of the Dead – students study the cultural significance of the Mexican Day of the Dead festival, exploring its traditions, symbolism and visual imagery. They develop observational drawing skills through skull studies before designing masks, tattoos and decorative outcomes inspired by the celebration, strengthening their understanding of pattern, symmetry, composition and colour.
Year 9
Architecture – students develop increasingly sophisticated drawing and design skills through the study of architecture. They explore one- and two-point perspective, observational drawing, printmaking and ceramics while investigating the work of architects and artists including Lucinda Rogers and Denys Lasdun. Students design and produce both two-dimensional and three-dimensional outcomes inspired by Brutalist and contemporary architecture.
Sweet Treats – students undertake a project that mirrors the structure of GCSE Art, developing observational drawing, painting and artist research skills. Inspired by artists including Wayne Thiebaud and Sarah Graham, students refine their understanding of colour, tone and composition while experimenting with a range of wet and dry media to produce increasingly personal responses.
Natural Forms – students investigate the beauty and complexity of the natural world through observational drawing, watercolour painting and mixed media experimentation. Inspired by contemporary artists such as Noel Pugh, students explore texture, mark-making and composition before creating refined outcomes that demonstrate increasing independence and creative decision-making in preparation for Key Stage 4.
Pupils are continuously assessed throughout each module according to the National Curriculum requirements and awarded a level and grade for effort closely linked to the GCSE grading. Progress is closely monitored against differentiated learning objectives, and these are recorded on an end-of-module summative assessment sheet.
KS3 Assessment Grid
Key Stage 4
Students have two pathways at Key Stage 4; Art, Craft & Design and Photography. Both courses follow the AQA GCSE Art and Design specification and encourage students to develop technical skills, creative independence and personal responses through sustained practical investigations informed by artist research, experimentation and critical reflection.
Summary of GCSE
The specification followed is AQA GCSE Art, Craft & Design. Students build upon the skills developed at Key Stage 3 through an exciting curriculum of practical and investigative projects. During Year 10, students begin with the theme of Food and Architecture before progressing to increasingly independent, self-directed investigations based on personal interests. They explore observational drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, mixed media and colour theory whilst developing photography, annotation and presentation skills. Throughout the course, students investigate the work of contemporary and historical artists, refining ideas towards personal outcomes in preparation for the externally set assignment in Year 11.
Art & Design
Component 1 (60% weighting)
Food
Architecture
Personal Investigation
Component 2 (40% weighting)
- Externally Set Assignment
Photography
Component 1 (60% weighting)
Close Up & Texture
Natural Forms
Manchester: This is the Place
Personal Investigation
Component 2 (40% weighting)
Externally Set Assignment
Students receive regular homework that extends practical work, artist research and annotations completed in lessons. Progress is assessed continuously through portfolio development, practical outcomes, written analysis and teacher feedback, enabling students to refine their work throughout the course.
Further Study
GCSE Art and Photography provide an excellent foundation for further study including A Level Art & Design, Photography, Graphic Design, Fine Art, Textiles, Fashion, Architecture and a wide range of creative and vocational courses. The courses develop transferable skills valued by employers, including creativity, resilience, communication, research, problem solving, independent learning and presentation. These qualifications can lead to careers within architecture, illustration, animation, game design, photography, film, fashion, interior design, graphics, advertising, product design, teaching and many other creative industries.