Visual Arts

Head of Department: Miss S Penfold

Department Introduction

The Vision for the ‘Visual Arts Department’ is to provide a broad informative and exciting curriculum in Art & Design for all students, of all abilities, throughout the Key Stages. We believe that all students are creative, and from this premise, we try to nurture and develop technical skills across all of the art disciplines of Fine art, Photography, Graphic design and 3D studies. Within lessons, students will build not only a range of skills but also develop their critical and contextual awareness of creative practitioners, art movements as well as expanding their comprehension of ideas. Our ethos is ‘Think like an Artist, Make like and Artist, Be an Artist’.

We provide cultural enrichment and serve as advocates for the Visual Arts by presenting student exhibitions, trips and workshops.

The Visual Arts department is situated in the heart of the school overlooking the covered courtyard with an open plan studio design allowing students to collaborate across key stages and develop a sense professional art practice. 

Students have access to a broad ranges of facilities that include a photography and graphics based studio, designated 6th form studio, 3D ceramic and sculpture studio as well as fine art and mixed media teaching zones.

Teaching Staff

Miss S Penfold - Head of Department

Mrs Farrow-Brown
Miss Fieldwick
Mrs Proudfoot
Mrs Richardson
Miss Southwick

Art Clubs and Trips

We offer students a variety of beyond the walls learning opportunities including:

  • Open studio’s after school 3 days a week for KS4 and 5 students
  • Open studio’s after school 1 day a week for KS3 students
  • Exhibitions on line and at school of students work including KS3 homework projects and competitions. 
  • Visits to UCA for workshops and higher education degree exhibitions
  • Annual exhibition of A level students work.
  • Visits to local galleries including The Turner Contemporary
  • Student entry to many Art competitions including The Royal Academy, The Saatchi Gallery, The Portfolio competition, and UCA Creative competition. 
  • 6th form residential trips to The Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Collection of Exam Artwork 2022

Students leaving Year 11 and 13 will be able to collect their artwork in the November after they complete their course. Please check back on this page in October 2022 for details of collection for 2022 leavers.

Please make every effort to collect your work; artwork not collected during the collection period will be disposed of by the school as the department does not have the space to store work beyond this date.

What do our children study?

We offer a variety of courses at key stages 4 & 5 including; Fine Art, Graphic Design, 3D Studies and Photography. We prepare students for careers in many of the extensive possibilities within the ‘Creative Industries’.

Click here for exam board information on GCSE Visual Arts
Click here for exam board information on A Level Visual Arts

Year 7 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 9 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 10 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 11 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 12 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 13 Curriculum Plan
pdf