Curriculum Overview – Year 7
In Year 7, students are encouraged to foster an appreciation of Art and Design through the introduction of a range of practical skills and contextual knowledge, developing an understanding of the formal elements of Art and Design, in order to express themselves.
Two engaging topics are taught over the year. The first topic explores themes of self and identity, encouraging students to share experiences and celebrate diversity as they become familiar with their new surroundings. Inspired by Van Gogh’s use of colour and mark-making, it aims to introduce and develop an understanding of line, tone, colour and composition as a foundation for the topics that follow.
Later in the year, we introduce formal observational drawing, within a project that is inspired by historical and contemporary artists who have been inspired by the delicate subject of shells. It is a mixed media project, where students are actively encouraged to adopt an inventive approach to drawing through experimental mark-making.
Curriculum Overview – Year 8
The Year 8 Art and Design curriculum is designed to build upon the knowledge, skills and understanding delivered in Year 7. Students continue to be introduced to a range of media, methods and techniques through two topics, enabling students to engage with materials and the work of other artists in greater depth. Researching artists, thinking reflectively and evaluating their own progress, and the progress of others is expected; students are encouraged to make choices in order for them to work independently.
The first topic focuses on self portraiture. Within this unit of work, students learn how to observe the human form accurately. They respond with abstract outcomes by referring to the work of a range of artists and learn about Cubism and its iconic imagery.
‘Trees in the Landscape’ is a drawing and painting topic, centred around landscape artists, in particular, contemporary British artist David Hockney and his photo-montages (‘Joiners’). Within this unit of work students learn to refine their work, focusing on composition and layout within their own landscape studies, explored with a wide range of media. An exciting and broad range of materials for Year 8 engages and challenges the students. Group work and photography becomes a starting point for large-scale collaborative pieces of artwork.
Curriculum Leader
Mrs L Hamer – lhamer@sbch.org.uk
Teacher of Art
Mrs R Bashforth – rbashforth@sbch.org.uk
Miss D Skinner – dskinner@sbch.org.uk