Welcome to Woodfields Academy Astrea Academy Trust
Key Staff
- Leader of Art – Mr S Whitter
- Teacher of Art – Ms A Kelshaw
The Astrea Woodfields Art and Design department is a vibrant and enthralling department where the pupils personal artistic journey is supported in full by three specialist art teachers with decades of experience within this Academy and local community; with our fundamental belief that the pupils GCSE Art and Design journey begins in their first lesson in Art.
The staff pride themselves on the engaging and passionate lessons where the fundamental element is the exploration and investigation of creativity; because creativity is the highest form of our learning. Our fluid curriculum at Key Stage 3 and GCSE is designed to support the pupils with the development of essential skills that are the embodiment of the artistic world, to be courageous, aspirational and creative. The schemes of work are designed to ensure that all our students are able to achieve and make progress, and in the motto of Astrea; we aim to “Inspire Beyond Measure”. We engage, inspire and challenge all students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art.
The Art and Design curriculum has an underlying critical and contextual element at its core, it is designed so that students can build up from the formal art elements allowing them to refine, develop and build upon their skills as the key stages progress. At the centre of the curriculum is the ability to record observations; and with this we place high values upon the importance of drawing. Students investigate ideas through visual language, exploring techniques, materials and processes through their own practical work.
As each students progresses through the Academy, they are encouraged to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of not only Art as a subject but its fundamental role in the world around them. This is pivotal at GCSE, where students are encouraged to think as an artist; to be creative, experimental and ambitious with their portfolio and examination units.
As our students develop, we encourage them to explore and examine the world as young and inspiring artists, working creatively and intelligently. Through a wide range of experiences and opportunities offered throughout their artistic journey within the Academy, pupils will have nurtured a deep understanding of the formal elements in art across a wide range of disciplines: line, shape, form, tone, texture, pattern, colour and composition; all of which are vital in underpinning creative work and successful students.
With an extensive, personalised and creative portfolio to hand; we proudly support and guide all those entering into the Art and Design professions and education as they make their way into an ever expanding world; where the creative amongst them will have a unique opportunity to showcase their talents.
A Lesson in Art….
An Art and Design lesson at Astrea Academy Woodfields has a number of important elements…
· To be first and foremost an engaging, energised and imaginative subject to study.
· To provide a safe and welcoming environment where all pupils can explore their own creativity with no fear of failure or in-acceptance.
· To enable pupils to become visually literate, be able to use and understand art as a form of visual and tactile communication and to appreciate the work of Artists, Craft persons and Designers.
· To develop pupils’ capacity for the development of creative and original ideas, experimenting with material, forming opinions and feelings about their own work and that of others.
· To develop pupils’ creative and technical skills so that ideas can be achieved and artefacts produced.
· To develop pupils’ capacity to observe and understand the world.
Art and Design Course 5 Year Content
KS3
At Key Stage 3, pupils study various topics in Art in a single 1-hour lesson per week. Each Year is structured with a personalised theme and skills based projects, running for multiple weeks to build up skill, resilience, Art and Design understanding and practice.
All projects are presented and evidenced in a personal folder, which the students are responsible for respecting, looking after, maintaining and handing in on time, especially if taken home to work in.
Year 7: The Introductory Year
Art and Design Department Curriculum Aim:
The projects in Year 7 aim to give a broad introduction into as wide a variety of media, techniques and processes as possible. Introducing drawing, collage, painting, lettering/graphics and critical studies through theme based projects, aiming to provide students with a base on which to build in Year 8.
Project 1: Elements in Art: Parties and Celebrations
· Observational drawing
· 3D shape and form
· Materials and techniques
· Designing and imagination
· Colour theory
Project 2: Franz Marc –Animal Portraits
· Research and analysis of other artists
· Design and development
· Painting skills
· Advanced colour theory
Year 8: Consolidation and Technical Drawing
In Year 8, two further theme-based projects (designed to be more demanding), develop, embed and build upon the skills introduced in Year 7. This will offer insights into the professional practices of Art and Design, through the introduction of technical drawing; which will be essential as they move forward in the subject.
Project 1: Insects and Botanical Illustrations
· Repeat and patterns
· Stylisation
· Proportions
· Compositional elements
· Mono printing techniques
· Form and proportions
· Illustrations
· Typography
Project 2: Perspective/Surreal Rooms
· Perspective
· Tone/Shading Techniques
· Spatial awareness
· Mark making skills in pencil (advanced techniques)
· Research and analysis – Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, Surrealism.
· Design and development
· Mixed media techniques
· Personal outcomes and responses.
Year 9: Advancing Skills in Art and Design/GCSE Ready Programme
In Year 9, the course is tailored to extend on pupils knowledge through themes delivered in a similar form as to the GCSE course. Opportunities are extended to widen the pupils understanding of the Art and Design content covered at KS4, with the introduction of more specialist materials, techniques and processes.
Project Theme: Coastal
· Observational studies
· Refinement and development of technical skills
· Experimentation with media
· Formal elements
· Design and pattern
· Relief techniques
· Print making
· Research and analysis – George Seurat, Charles Livingston Bull
· Development of personal responses
KS4
Art and Design is an optional subject at Key Stage 4. Work at GCSE is designed to comply with the OCR syllabus. This is a two Unit course. The syllabus for Art and Design is Unendorsed Art & Design.
During the course learners are required to compile a folder of work consisting of two units: ‘Portfolio’; Unit 1(Coursework). This is followed by Unit 2 (Examination) Externally Set Assignment, including a 10 hour independent work period. The assessment criteria are the same for each unit but the coursework portfolio counts for 60% of the final mark and the exam counts for 40%.
Art and Design is an experience based, highly creative and personalised course. Learners will be given lots of opportunity to develop their own skills, ideas and themes whilst facing many interesting, creative challenges. We aim as a Department for all learners to learn positively through enjoyment of the subject.
During all creative courses learners will be:
· Recording in a wide range of materials and techniques
· Exploring visual language
· Researching and developing resources
· Exploring personal responses to your own and set themes
· Creatively using visual media including digital media and computers
· Exploring contextual work from contemporary and historical sources
· Presenting your work to a high standard, applying your visual communication skills
The following project themes may be covered during the study of the GCSE course; and may vary from year to year: Logo’s, Natural Forms, Toys and Games, Food are to name but a few.
KS4 Home Learning & Assessment
Home-learning will link to projects and will be set at the teacher’s discretion where it is relative to the needs of the learners