Art

The Curriculum Purpose

The Art and Design department at The Compton School is a testament to our students’ powers of self-expression through the visual medium of Art and Design.

Art, Craft and Design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. We are committed to delivering a high-quality Art and Design education that continually inspires and challenges. That develops passion and enthusiasm for Art and Design.  We offer a broad and varied curriculum to engage ALL students regardless of ability.

Our purpose is to equip our young artists, designers, crafts men and women with the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop, experiment, record in order to realise their creative intentions through the media of drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and textiles. We actively promote critical and analytical thinking in order that our pupils develop a rigorous understanding of the role art and design play in society. Through the study of artistic genres and artists from past and present, we develop a culture where our pupils appreciate how art and design can both reflect and shape our history.

We have uncompromising aspirations for every individual and for our school to be an exceptional and inspirational community of lifelong learners.

We aim to equip them with the necessary skills to leave The Compton School. To develop transferrable skills such as problem solving, independent learning, resilience, self-control, organisation, presentation skills and group co-operation. To progress to universities and art colleges where they will successfully contribute to the culture and creativity of our nation.

The Art & Design curriculum is sequenced in a spiral from Key Stage 3 to 5. It is designed to be challenging and appropriate to each student’s stage of development by re-visiting, embedding, extending so that students become proficient in all Art and Design disciplines. It has been planned to allow for skills to be built upon and each SOW has a clear sequence allowing for skills to be revisited and developed by adding new knowledge that is stage appropriate.  Knowledge is taught initially in a declarative state, which becomes procedural knowledge as each year becomes more complex.

 

Key concepts that underpin the subject area 

All Key Stages of the Art curriculum at The Compton School develop students’ visual language skills, and confidence in self-expression. At each key stage a wide range of skills and techniques are taught and scaffolded into the subsequent key stages. Each Key Stage explores a different set of concepts, techniques, processes, cultures and genres of Art and design. Technique is crucial. If pupils are not taught a visual language, then they will not be able to communicate their ideas.

At Key Stage 3, our key concepts are:

• Drawing skills
• Critical and Contextual studies
• Design
• Developing skills and techniques with various materials
• Make
• Evaluate

GCSE Art & Photography, our key concepts are:

• Specialist technical skills (working with more advanced media such as oil paint, photoshop)
• Critical and Contextual studies
• Producing individual pieces of work inspired by their own research
• Designing relevant final outcomes
• Producing a final outcome using relevant media and techniques.

For A Level Fine Art our key concepts are:

• Practical techniques and principles
• Critical and contextual studies
• Designing and making principles.
• Producing final outcomes relevant to their research and intentions.

 

Key Features of Learning

Our department has 4 Art & Design Teachers and 1 Technician, adapting their strengths within their specialist disciplines of fine art, painting, installation, illustration and textiles. Delivering lessons in purpose-built classrooms. Our curriculum is guided using the NC, NSEAD and Arts Council of England key principles –

Excellence, authentic, exciting, inspiring, engaging, positive, child centred, progression, belonging.

We teach a range of themes, genres and disciplines.

The key artistic features of learning in the Art curriculum are underpinned by challenge in content and in the delivery of an ambitious, broad and coherent curriculum which develops all pupils’ attributes. Our curriculum requires and encourages resilience, teamwork, self-discipline, empathy and creativity.  

• The Art department develops our students by supporting them in producing creative work, exploring own ideas and recording own experiences.
• To have uncompromising aspirations for every individual and for our school to be an exceptional and inspirational community of lifelong learners.
• To ensure all students have the knowledge to critically engage with the conversation of humankind.
• Art at The Compton School supports students in communicating their ideas and concepts about themselves and the world around them through painting, drawing, photography and sculpture.
• Art encourages students to experiment, to have fun, to take risks, to work outside of their comfort zone, to think outside the box, to challenge themselves and the viewer.
• Art supports students in expressing their thoughts, feelings and emotions through 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional visual languages.

What will you see in Art lessons?

Students will be working practically and often independently on 2D and 3D projects and tasks. Students will be seen discussing and critiquing their and others’ work and gaining inspiration and insight from artwork around the walls on display by KS 3,4 and 5 students including course work and exam work.

 

What will you see in Art books?

• Progression
• Drawing techniques
• DIRT feedback
• Peer feedback
• Visual and written communication
• Critical and contextual knowledge
• Evaluation and Reflection

 

What formative assessment will you see in Art?

You will see individualised written feedback at KS3, KS4 and KS5. Designed to allow students to extend their practical and critical work. Teachers use a range of formative assessment at KS3, KS4 and KS5 to assess understanding. At KS3 students complete practical assessments that allow teachers to plan future lessons based on their analysis of the outcomes.

 

What is the extra-curricular provision?

Many students choose to attended extra-curricular clubs and engage in independent study.

Key Stage 3:

Art Club

Photography Club

Key Stage 4&5:

Each classroom is available for all students to continue working on their personal projects outside of lesson time.

KS4 and 5 students support in KS3 clubs.