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Marshland High School

Art and Design

Art and Design

The Art Department consists of an inspiring teaching team of two art teachers who have complimentary experience in the art arena. They both have a passion for Art and support the creative and nurturing ethos of Marshland.

Within the Art department we believe we will enhance pupils’ visual language, as well as their understanding of the arts, and will enable them to translate their thoughts and ideas into creative outcomes. This is ensured through the exciting and creative curriculum we offer our students as they are encouraged to experience a wide range of media – painting, drawing, 3D, sculpture, wire sculpture, ceramics, and photography. We believe in celebrating pupil achievement and have an approach which rewards and shares successful outcomes in the classroom with peers.

We are keen to involve students in extra-curricular events and to enable them to become aware of ‘Art and Design’ in the wider context, expanding students’ knowledge, understanding, and personal skills. Our students are encouraged to visit environments outside the classroom as well as galleries and studios.

KS3

All KS3 students have one lesson per fortnight.

Students join Marshland High School with different skills, needs and aspirations. They have come from a number of primary schools with varied art teaching at KS2. In Year 7, we see it as our job to increase those skills and their confidence and to open students’ eyes generally to the wider world of art. This is achieved through building up a framework of the formal elements of art; line, tone, shape and perspective, from which students start to express themselves visually.

In Year 8 we are able to build upon the foundation skills acquired in Year 7. Through themes or projects such as ‘Colour’ and ‘Typography’, the students experiment with mixed media and colour whilst studying a range of complimentary artists/designers. Students also learn how to evaluate their work using specialist vocabulary, including terms such as texture, tonal value, concepts, foreground, middle ground, depth and hue.

Year 9 prepares students for art at GCSE level and offers more of a focus on the importance of drawing skills and Art within the context of the creative industry. By taking responsibility for some of their own learning they begin to develop the skills necessary to succeed.

Art assessment is based upon the range of ideas, the quality of drawing, the use of media/materials, research and appreciation of art and design works. In this subject, energy and enthusiasm are as important as skilful and naturalistic depiction. Work is regularly exhibited in classrooms and around the school. This enables pupils to see their own and others’ work critically.

KS4

GCSE Art and Design (unendorsed). Exam board AQA

Art is always a popular option at KS4. This is a two year course. Coursework begins at the start of the
course in September of Year 10 and continues throughout Years 10 and 11. For the final exam in
April of Year 11 students are required to express themselves using a range of media in response to
broad themes or ideas. They are also expected to keep a work journal/sketchbook for each
assignment, to show evidence of the development of their ideas to its final outcome, responding and
analysing artists and designers who have connections with their own personal work.

The syllabus aims to give you opportunities to develop:

  • Practical skills to enable more advanced creativity and expression:
  • Independent investigation and analytical skills:
  • Cultural knowledge and understanding of art, design, media and technology:
  • Self-confidence, perseverance, self-discipline and commitment.
  • Internal assessment and feedback to students occurs throughout the two years.
  • Coursework assignment(s) = 60%
  • Final exam with preparation = 40%

A number of these students become so enthused with the subject that they study it beyond Marshland and on to further education.