Art and Design
Subject/Curriculum Leader: Helen Marshall/Gemma MacDonald
Observational drawing underpins all creative learning within the subject of art and design. At Norton College, we recognise that all students have an individual drawing style as well as experience and this is nurtured throughout their education. As a department, we encourage students to develop their own creativity as well as understanding the work of others to help enhance and broaden their knowledge and experience of art and design. We strive so that our art students can achieve, promoting a knowledge and passion for the subject which can develop and flourish in a creative atmosphere.
The Art Department is dedicated and ambitious, with high aspirations for all students. We have a dedicated team of 2 teachers, who share a wealth of teaching experience and independent professional experience. We are well resourced within our studios with a wide range of drawing, painting, printing, mixed media, textiles, ceramics, photography and ICT equipment.
The Art & Design curriculum is delivered so that students have the opportunity to revisit skills and techniques, knowledge is firmly embedded into their artistic practise. The curriculum has wider links to other subjects such as history, music, design technology/food and textiles, maths and geography. Students are encouraged to attend extra-curricular activities such as KS3 art club and GCSE/A Level enrichment workshops to develop their skills and passion for the subject.
We offer 2 art trips in GSCE, The Deep and The Yorkshire Sculpture Park and a variety of trips at A Level which are built around the coursework requirements for each student. We believe that students are more able to review and analyse their own artistic practise more effectively when they see professional artwork in context.
Key Stage Three
Year 7, 8 and 9 have one art lesson per week. Our curriculum enables students to make a smooth transition from Primary to Secondary, whilst building skills in the core areas of study in drawing, painting and printing. In Year 8 and 9, students continue to develop and improve their knowledge of the areas of study and expand further into textiles and 3D work. Each scheme of work includes observational drawing, research and experimentation, design, understanding and responding to other artists work and cultures.
Year 7 - Autumn term
Drawing
Formal Elements: mark-making techniques/exploring media
Direct observational studies: still life objects
One point perspective: landscape, cityscape and street scenes
Year 7 - Spring term
Colour
Colour Theory: colour wheel, tonal variation, analogous colours
Contextual studies: The Impressionists, Post Impressionists and the Fauves
Year 7 - Summer term
Landscapes
Drawing: sketching techniques through direct observation of external locations
Painting: techniques and processes, composition, final A3 response
Printing: techniques and processes, design, final series of prints, links with other cultures such as Japanese art
Year 8 - Autumn term
Futurism
Research and Analysis: Historical and political understanding of The Futurist art movement
Movement: drawing, painting, wax resist of moving figures and objects
Year 8 - Spring term
3D/Textile sculpture
2D to 3D: design process and construction techniques, final 3D response using inspiration from the Futurism research and painting project
Year 8 - Summer term
Portraiture
Observational Drawing: facial features and self-portraits, understanding proportion and ratio, using a range of drawing media
Contextual Studies: Picasso, Cubism, Abstraction
Year 9 - Autumn term
Culture
Contextual Studies: investigating Chinese cultures and traditions and other cultures from around the world
3D Design: drawing, planning and design process for a 3D mask
Year 9 - Spring term
Masks
3D Construction: techniques and process for working with Modroc and papiermaché using 2D designs from their cultural project
Year 9 - Summer term
Architecture
Research and Analysis: Architecture throughout history
Design: 2D design for a window or doorway based on research
Construction: ceramic techniques and processes, 3D final response based on 2D design
Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4, students are entered for Art and Design: Fine Art GCSE.
We follow the AQA specification for this qualification.
The course is divided into 2 units: Unit 1, Portfolio, and Unit 2, the Externally Set Task. The portfolio consists of 2 coursework projects and is worth 60% of the GCSE qualification. The Externally Set Task is 40% of the GCSE qualification. Both units are internally marked, and then moderated by an external examiner. Coursework is developed throughout Year 10 and also in the Autumn term of Year 11. The Externally Set Task begins in January of Y11 and concludes at the end of April with a formal 10-hour practical exam, undertaken in the art rooms.
During the coursework period, students are encouraged to work more independently. They are able to take ambitious creative risks which help develop a strong work ethic and personal motivation. Their final project in Year 11 focuses on developing an independent theme based on a universal starting point. They can investigate and research artists, craftspeople and designers of their own choice and take autonomy of how to develop their project whilst fulfilling the Portfolio assessment criteria.
Research trips to The Deep in Year 10 and The Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Y11 allow students to see reference material and artwork in context, enhancing their understanding of art in the wider world, it’s purpose and function.
Year 10 - Autumn term
The Deep
AO 3 Observational Drawing: Investigations into a variety of sea life, using mark-making techniques and a wide range of drawing media
AO 1 Research and Investigation: Peter Randall-Page, Susan Duxter, Mark Hearld, drawing, painting and sampling, including written personal responses to the artists’ work
Year 10 - Spring term
The Deep
AO 2 Experimentation
Printing: Bubble wrap, lino, and collage printing processes, concluding in a final response
Year 10 - Summer term
Portraiture
AO3 Observational drawing: Using primary and secondary sources, a wide range of drawing media, studying facial features and a self-portrait
Year 11 - Autumn term
Human and Animal Form
AO 3: Continuation of observational drawing, large scale enlargements using tonal variation, annotation of ideas, using photography to record ideas.
AO1: Independent artist research
AO2: Independent idea development, experimentation of media and processes, refining skills and techniques
AO4: Final personal response
Year 11 - Spring term
Externally Set Task
Delivery of exam paper and preparation period
AO1: Independent artist research
AO2: Independent idea development, experimentation of media and processes, refining skills and techniques
AO3: Observational recording of primary and secondary sources, including photography, annotation of ideas
AO4: Final formal 10-hour practical exam
Year 11 - Summer term
The course is completed by May 1st
Mounting and presentation of work for the annual Exhibition
Key Stage 5
At Key Stage 5, students are entered for A Level Art and Design: Fine Art.
We follow the AQA specification for these qualifications.
In Year 12 students rigorously undertake a variety of small projects which introduces them to more complex and technical aspects of art and design. They are expected to be able to select appropriate artists and contextual references independently to study to support their creative thinking and idea development. As students gain confidence in their techniques and processes as they commence with their Personal Investigation.
The Personal Investigation is a sustained area of creative study where students choose their own starting point and develop a creative investigation which includes a 3000 word written element. The Portfolio covers 4 Assessment Objectives and is worth 60% of the A Level qualification. The Externally Set Assignment is 40% of the A Level qualification. Both units are internally marked, and then moderated by an external examiner. The Personal Investigation is developed at the end of Year 12 and into Year 13. The Externally Set Assignment begins in February of Y13, within which a formal 15-hour practical exam is undertaken in the art rooms. Both the Personal Investigation and the Externally Set Assignment follow the same assessment criteria as GCSE Art and Design: Fine Art
Trips to Whitby and York are used to allow students a wider access to visual stimuli. These excursions help students to develop independent skills and allow them to bring the ‘wider world’ back to the studio. It allows them to experience how a professional artist would work on an assignment or commission.
Year 12 - Autumn term
Still Life: Observational drawing, artist research, idea development and experimentation with media, process and techniques, including photography. Work is produced on a variety of scales.
Year 12 - Spring term
Architecture: Observational drawing, artist research, idea development and experimentation with media, process and techniques, including photography and printing. Work is produced on a variety of scales.
Year 12 - Summer term
Personal Investigation: Developing a starting point, initial artist research and contextual studies.
Year 13 - Autumn term
Personal Investigation: Developing ideas through experimentation with a selected range of media.
Year 13 - Spring term
Personal Investigation: Completion of personal final response.
Year 13 - Summer term
The A Level Art and Design: Fine Art course is completed by May 1st
Mounting and presentation of work for the annual Exhibition
