Our Vision

In Art & Design, we aim to nurture creativity, confidence, and independent thinking while developing students’ understanding of visual language. Through a wide range of practical experiences, students build artistic skills, explore cultural influences, and most importantly, develop a lifelong enjoyment of creativity.

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
Edgar Degas

Course Overview

Throughout Key Stage 3, students develop their artistic knowledge and practical skills through the key disciplines of:

• Drawing
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

Students explore both traditional and contemporary artists, art movements, and cultures from around the world. Skills are revisited and developed throughout Years 7–9, enabling students to refine techniques, build confidence, and express their own creative ideas.

Year 7

Year 7 focuses on building strong foundations in observational drawing and practical art skills.

During the Autumn Term, students explore clay sculpture techniques and develop their observational drawing skills using graphite and coloured pencils. In the Spring Term, students investigate relief printmaking, learning carving techniques through rubber block and lino printing challenges. During the Summer Term, students respond to the work of Andy Warhol by creating Pop Art-inspired name designs before exploring Op Art through vibrant abstract gradient artworks.

Year 8

Students begin Year 8 by studying the work of Pablo Picasso and creating their own Cubist portraits using acrylic paint. They then develop their three-dimensional skills through the creation of a glazed ceramic sculpture inspired by an underwater theme.

In the Spring Term, students further develop their observational drawing skills by producing highly detailed studies of chocolate bar wrappers, focusing on tonal blending, fine detail, and reflective surfaces. During the Summer Term, students advance their printmaking skills through the introduction of reduction lino printing techniques.

Year 9

Year 9 begins with a landscape project inspired by the local environment of Brimham Rocks. Students experiment with a range of dry media techniques before producing a final lino print outcome.

During the Spring Term, students complete a mixed-media illustration project based on fish, combining drawing, painting, and collage techniques. The year concludes with a creative cardboard relief portrait sculpture project, allowing students to apply and showcase the skills developed throughout Key Stage 3.

Assessment

Students complete six assessment tasks across the academic year, covering drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Each assessment provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their progress and receive personalised feedback.

Following each assessment, students are given individual targets to support their continued development and help them improve specific artistic skills.

How Parents Can Support Learning

Students receive homework once per fortnight, encouraging independent learning through the development of ideas and reinforcement of skills taught in lessons.

Parents and carers can support their child by:

• Encouraging completion of homework tasks.
• Reviewing learning resources together.
• Providing a suitable space for creative work at home.
• Ensuring access to basic art materials such as pencils, coloured pencils, a ruler, scissors, and glue.
• Encouraging visits to galleries, museums, and creative events where possible.

By working together, we can help students develop confidence, creativity, and a genuine appreciation of art and design.