KS3 Art & Textiles

​​​Art and Textiles are taught on a carousel with students receiving three hours of lesson time a fortnight. 

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KS3 students at SPA gain a solid understanding of the seven elements of art - line, colour, value, shape, form, space, and texture. This is through 'mini' GCSE projects that give students the opportunity to develop key skills in drawing, painting, printmaking and ceramics. Students focus on the work of other artists and historical art movements whilst also analysing the work of their peers, alongside regular self reflection. Periodic assessments will monitor the progress of key painting and drawing skills with students using these skills and their art history knowledge to make exciting, individual and inspiring personal outcomes. Work will be presented both in sketchbook journals but with a big focus on working larger scale pieces to ensure the transition to exciting GCSE work is successful. Students also benefit from the cultural experiences of a range of  exciting Art trips on offer including Liverpool, London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

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Year 7 is all about developing skills from KS2 through two projects, whilst in Year 8 students focus on key 19th & 20th Century art movements and heavyweight European artists. In Year 9 students will take influence from African Art in the Cultural Project, ensuring that when they enter GCSE Art they will not only be independent with their art skills but also knowledgeable and inspired from a diverse range of creative starting points.

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KS4 Art & KS4 Textiles 

In line with the four GCSE objectives students will develop skills in a broad range of techniques such as painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, photography and digital art. Textiles include screen printing, mono-printing, cyanotype, mixed media, textile sculpture, construction, batik, and hand and machine embroidery in extension to the art processes.

 

Students will independently look at artists, art movements and take cultural inspiration from a whole range of sources to inform their understanding of the creative world and inspire and enhance their own practice. Through trips, artist workshops, community connections and Big Ideas lessons students will increase their exposure to an exciting range of creative ideas and opportunities with a regular focus on relevant Future You's.

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BIG IDEAS

Big Idea lessons are presented to students twice a Half Term and where possible connect to both Future You lessons and also the ongoing curriculum. As an example

Students look at the French mural artist Thiery Noir who decorated the Berlin Wall with his vibrant complementary colour caricatures.

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FUTURE YOU

Future You – through regular visits from practising artists, links to local universities and colleges and trips to a range of destinations our students are continuously exposed to career opportunities in all aspects of Art. Students receive at least two creative career lessons per half-term with relevant and interesting connections to the current scheme of learning.

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ACADEMIC LITERACY

Literacy is embedded in the art curriculum ranging from subject specific language and terminology to critical analysis of historical art and in evaluation of their own work.

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HOMEWORK

At KS3 fortnightly homework tasks continue to embed learning from the classroom. These include drawing tasks accessible to all as well as longer projects with a keenness to involve students and their friends/family members.

 

At KS4 students will be expected to continue with their ongoing coursework at home. This may be tasks based within their ongoing sketchbook work or artist research to prepare for future lessons.