Visual Arts

At Key Stage 3 all students study a broad course in Art and Design. Project work covers aspects of Fine Art, such as Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Print making and students also work with Textiles and Creative Digital Media and aspects of Photography.

Years 7, 8 & 9 Object/Environment/Portraiture:

In all three key stages, students study the three main subjects that we offer in Visual Arts; Fine Art, Textiles and Creative Digital Media. Each subject is studied for a whole term over a full academic year.

In Fine Art all students look at aspects of drawing, printmaking and painting.

In Textiles students cover drawing, textiles making techniques, sewing machine work and designing and planning.

In Creative Digital Media all students get introduced to aspects of their free Adobe CC account. They learn to use Adobe Spark as a digital sketchbook to record their developing ideas and they learn how to use Adobe Photoshop, film editing tools such as Adobe Rush and animation software such as Adobe Animate.

All three projects are underpinned with research into different artists/photographers/textiles designers etc, through which we aim to develop our students’ research and analytical skills. Our projects celebrate and encourage exploration of diversity in order to broaden our students’ understanding of their surroundings and their wider community. This rotation approach to project work gives our students a broad range of experiences which they get to repeat as they move through Key Stage 3.

Facilities:

• Four large studios for general practical work

• 3D clay facilities and large front-loading kilns

• Two computer areas with fast running PCs all connected to Adobe CC with access to software such as Photoshop/Lightroom/Prem Pro/After Effects/In Design/Nik Software etc

• Two Photographic studio areas and access to a range of high-quality lighting facilities as well as DSLR and SLR cameras

• A purpose-built print making studio with printing facilities for silk screen printing, dry point and collagraph etching, block printing and various mono-printing techniques

• A stop frame animation area and still life photography area

• All students have full access to Adobe CC which is currently free for all students and can be used on any two devices, mobile or desktop, at the same time in school and at home.

Method of Assessment:

All staff are responsible for assessing their students’ work and feedback to students about their progress. The Visual Arts Department uses the following guidelines on assessment:

• Teachers carry out deep marking once every half term – using the Edexcel GCSE and A Level assessment documents as guidance– there is also the consistent use of WWW/EBI.

• Teachers offer verbal feedback to all students where possible in class time. Teachers encourage peer marking and assessment where possible

• Teachers encourage self-assessment and target setting where possible – using WWW/EBI.

• Teachers use, run and lead such assessment initiatives as gallery walks and post-it notes comments/feedback where possible.

Course Description:

Fashion and Textiles at GCSE will be vibrant and inspiring. It will bring out students’ best work and equip them with the skills they will need to progress and confidently continue with this and related subjects at A-level and beyond, including a realistic and exciting range of Textile and Fashion related career opportunities. The course is designed to challenge, motivate and stimulate students’ interest, needs and strengths in this area of the creative arts.

The specification has been designed to allow development of knowledge and understanding during the course through a variety of learning experiences and approaches, including engagement with sources. This will allow students to develop the skills to explore, create and communicate their own ideas. Students will demonstrate these skills through the development, refinement, recording, realisation and presentation of ideas through a portfolio and by responding to an externally set assignment.

Students will need to provide evidence of drawing activity and written annotation and be able to present work effectively in a range of appropriate formats.

Students will be introduced to a variety of learning experiences, which encourage the development of their skills through the use of appropriate media, processes, techniques and technologies relevant to the subject. Students’ work will be informed by first-hand experiences and appropriate secondary sources.

Students will be encouraged to progressively develop their own strengths and interests in the subject and increasingly, follow their own lines of enquiry, for example: -

• the work and approaches of artists, craftspeople or designers from contemporary and/or historical contexts, periods, societies and cultures

• contemporary and/or historical environments, situations or issues Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to:

• develop ideas through investigations informed by selecting and critically analysing sources

• apply an understanding of relevant practices in the creative and cultural industries to their work

• refine their ideas as work progresses through experimenting with media, materials, techniques and processes

• record ideas, observations, insights and independent judgements, visually and through written annotation, using appropriate specialist vocabulary, as work progresses

• use visual language critically as appropriate to their own creative intentions and chosen area(s) of study.

To be accepted on the course students will need to have a genuine curiosity, interest and passion for the subject, evidence of hard work and commitment to date from exam results and past commitment to learning records.

Assessment:

Coursework: Controlled assessment 45 hours 60%

Terminal exam: Supporting studies – 20 hours or 9 school weeks preparation plus timed test (10 hours) 40%

Materials/Equipment:

Students will be expected to have a basic textile equipment kit together with a range of drawing and painting equipment. They will also be expected to buy fabrics as appropriate for their personal coursework projects.

Course Description:

This course concentrates particularly on the development and creative use of drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media. The work is project based; each project will involve research and preparatory studies towards a final piece of Art work and the realisation of this work. Students will explore a different theme for each project through art skills and a variety of materials and processes. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own ideas and responses to each theme visually. 

Students will be encouraged to:

• research and investigate themes.

• experiment with and explore different materials and techniques – both two-dimensional and three dimensional.

• experiment through forming and developing their own ideas.

• evaluate the work of artists and designers.

• realise their creative ideas.

• visit art galleries and museums to gather research.

Students will need to be well organised, resourceful, and able to sustain interest in their work over an extended period of time. An ability to keep to deadlines is also essential.

Assessment:

Coursework: Controlled assessment 45 hours 60%

Terminal exam: Supporting studies – 20 hours or 9 school weeks preparation plus timed test (10 hours) 40%

Materials/Equipment:

General drawing equipment – various pencils – coloured pencils – fine liners – charcoal – oil pastels – chalk pastels – drawing pens and inks Paint materials – acrylic paints – various paint brushes – watercolours Students must buy an Art Pack from the Art Department with equipment needed for the course and sketchbooks. The cost of the pack is currently £50.

Career Opportunities:

Artist – Designer (Graphics/Fashion/Textiles/Product) – Illustration – Animation – Film – Media – Education – Community Arts

Course description

This course concentrates particularly on the development and creative use of digital cameras, lighting, digital software editing
programmes and Photography genres. The work is project based; each project will involve research and preparatory studies towards a final piece/s of work and its realisation. Students will explore a different theme for each project through learning, employing and manipulating a number of photographic processes using digital cameras and digital software editing programmes. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own ideas and responses to each theme in a creative and visual way.

Students will be encouraged to:

• research and investigate themes

• explore different aspects of the camera and how to use manual mode

• experiment with and explore different digital software editing programmes

• learn how to take, process and display digital photography using new creative digital technologies

• experiment through forming and developing their own ideas

• evaluate the work of photographers and artists

• realise their creative ideas as finished photographs

Students will need to be well organised, resourceful, and able to sustain an interest in their work over an extended period of time. An ability to keep to set deadlines is also essential.

Coursework: Controlled assessment 45 hours (60%)

Terminal exam: Supporting studies – 20 hours or 9 school weeks preparation plus timed test (10 hours) (40%)

Materials/Equipment:

In the department we have DSLR cameras which students are able to use at LPGS in order to carry out set work. However, we do encourage students to buy their own DSLR cameras as they progress through the course from Year 10 into Year 11 (these cameras are expensive). In addition to using DSLR cameras we do also use, at times, smaller compact digital cameras and phone cameras.

All students get free access to Adobe CC and programmes such as Photoshop and Lightroom etc. Students are then able to use these industry standard pieces of software for free at school and at home.

All students need to buy 3 x A3 plastic display wallets (approx. £5 to £10 each) to store the pages of work they need to print out during the course.

Career Opportunities:

Professional Photographer – Photo Journalism – Animation – Film – Graphic Design – Media – Artist - Photography is also a useful tool to support other subjects e.g. Marine Biology, Illustration and Advertising

Course Description:

We offer the unendorsed Art, Craft and Design A-Level, 2 Year course, which includes 2D and 3D work in drawing, painting, mixed media and print making and leads to the full A-Level qualification.

Year 12: You study units of practical coursework. The first unit is teacher-led and introduces you to different skills, materials and processes which we have at LPGS. The second unit of coursework aims to build on your developing skills but the work is much more independent and self-directed, aiding you to build and develop your own portfolio of work.

Year 13: You continue the second unit of practical coursework started in Year 12, during the Autumn term. After Christmas, you begin work on the externally set assignment. You have approx. 14 weeks to research and prepare work for a final three-day examination in which you make your final outcome in response to a set brief.

Skills Required:

A strong interest in the visual world, in drawing, painting, sculpture and in using and manipulating different materials, processes and techniques. You will need a willingness to research and develop ideas through observational drawing and have the ability to work to deadlines, requiring a high level of motivation. You will also be required to produce in-depth written analysis and research into the work of artists and designers.

Method of Assessment:

Coursework is 60% and the exam is 40% of the final marks. All work is marked internally then standardised by all A-Level Art staff and finally moderated by the exam board.

Progression:

Students progress to higher creative courses at foundation level and then degree level. Students also move into a number of creative careers as an artist, designer, teacher, animator, illustrator, fashion designer, textiles designer, film and tv production work etc.

Course Description:

We offer the endorsed Photography A-Level, 2-year course, which includes both digital and traditional analogue, darkroom photography and leads to the full A-Level qualification.

Year 12: You study units of practical coursework. The first unit is teacher-led and introduces you to different skills, materials and processes which we have at LPGS. The second unit of coursework aims to build on your developing skills, but the work is much more independent and self-directed, aiding you to build and develop your own portfolio of work.

Year 13: You continue the second unit of practical coursework, started in Year 12, during the Autumn term. After Christmas you begin work on the externally set assignment. You have approx. 14 weeks to research and prepare work for a final three-day examination in which you make your final outcome in response to a set brief.

Skills Required:

A strong interest in the visual world, taking, correcting and manipulating photographic images is essential. You will need a willingness to research and develop ideas through making photographic records and have the ability to work to deadlines requiring a high level of motivation. You will also be required to produce in-depth written analysis and research into the work of different Photographers and Artists.

Method of Assessment:

Coursework is 60% and the exam is 40% of the final marks All work is marked internally then standardised by all A-Level Art staff and finally moderated by the exam board.

Progression:

Students progress to higher creative courses at foundation level and then degree level. Students also move into a number of creative careers as an artist, photographer, designer, teacher, animator, illustrator, fashion designer, textiles designer or in film and tv production work etc.