Our curriculum
Year 7
In Year 7, students embark on an exciting journey into Art & Design, focusing on developing their foundational skills. The curriculum explores the formal elements of art, starting with drawing and progressing to painting. This is a structured course where students are guided step-by-step, learning essential techniques to build their confidence and ability.
As the year progresses, students apply their skills in engaging projects that include printmaking, graphic design, and architecture. Inspiration plays a vital role in their creative process, with students encouraged to explore a wide range of sources to spark their imagination and develop their ideas.
This comprehensive approach ensures that students leave Year 7 with a strong skillset and a deeper appreciation for the possibilities within Art & Design.
Year 8
In Year 8, students delve deeper into Art & Design, exploring themes such as portraits, identity, typography, and natural forms. Drawing remains a central focus, helping students refine their technical skills and express their ideas with confidence. Students are encouraged to draw inspiration from a variety of sources, which is essential for understanding the context, meaning, and techniques behind works of art. By studying how and why artists create, students develop their ability to interpret and respond to visual culture in meaningful ways.
Through these engaging themes and projects, students continue to build on their artistic foundation while exploring their personal creativity and developing a deeper connection to the world of art.
Year 9
Year 9 students embark on an Art Foundation style course designed to introduce them to key disciplines within Art & Design, including Fine Art, Graphic Design, and Photography. This dynamic and varied approach allows students to explore different techniques and creative processes, broadening their artistic skills and understanding. Following the foundation projects, students undertake an extended project that comprehensively addresses the four GCSE assessment objectives: developing ideas, refining skills, recording observations, and presenting outcomes. This project is designed to challenge students and prepare them for the demands of GCSE-level work.
As the work produced in Year 9 meets the standards required for GCSE, any projects completed during the year can be included in a student’s GCSE portfolio if they choose Art & Design as one of their options. This ensures a seamless transition into the GCSE course and gives students a head start in their creative journey.
Year 10 AQA Art, Craft & Design Curriculum
In Year 10, students studying AQA Art, Craft & Design work on two in-depth projects over the course of the year, with themes that vary annually to keep the curriculum fresh and engaging. Building on the skills developed during Key Stage 3, students are encouraged to work more independently, selecting the media and techniques that best suit their individual strengths and creative style. There is no prescribed “house style” for presenting work, giving students the freedom to showcase their creativity in a format that reflects their artistic vision. Recent examples include sketchbooks, large presentation sheets, and digital formats.
This approach allows students to develop a personal and meaningful connection to their work while building confidence in their ability to explore, experiment, and refine their ideas as they progress toward their GCSE qualification.
Year 11 AQA Art, Craft & Design
In Year 11, students studying AQA Art, Craft & Design take full ownership of their creative journey, working independently to produce a personal and meaningful body of work. Building on the skills, techniques, and confidence gained in Year 10, students refine their ability to explore and express their ideas while working towards their GCSE portfolio and final assessment. The year begins with the completion of their coursework portfolio, a project developed entirely around a theme of the student’s choice. This encourages independence, allowing students to thoroughly research, experiment with materials, and create artwork that reflects their individual interests and strengths. Students are supported by tailored guidance from their teachers, helping them to push their creative boundaries while making informed decisions about media, techniques, and presentation formats.
The final phase of Year 11 focuses on the externally set assignment, where students respond to a theme provided by the exam board. This culminates in a focused preparatory period followed by a timed practical examination, where students create an outcome showcasing their skills and creative journey.
Year 11 is a pivotal time for Art, Craft & Design students, fostering independence, creativity, and technical expertise as they prepare to present their best work for assessment.
Year 12 A-Level AQA Art, Graphic Design, and Photography
In the first term of A-Level, students studying Art, Graphic Design, and Photography undertake a series of dynamic 3–4 week projects designed to introduce them to key techniques and concepts within each discipline. These projects provide a strong foundation for their studies, equipping them with valuable skills that they can develop further as they progress through Year 12.
Students have the opportunity to explore a wide range of media and processes, including Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Adobe Photoshop, and Premiere Pro, as well as advanced photography studio techniques. This variety allows students to discover and refine their creative preferences while building technical confidence across different disciplines.
Each project encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent working, skills essential for success at A-Level and beyond. Students are guided to respond thoughtfully to project briefs, experimenting with materials and techniques to produce innovative and meaningful outcomes. After the short projects, students start their personal investigation, which is student led, this approach not only builds technical expertise but also lays the groundwork for students to begin shaping their personal creative vision.
Year 13 AQA A-Level Art, Graphic Design, and Photography Curriculum
In Year 13, students in Art, Graphic Design, and Photography continue to refine their creative practice through continuation of their personal investigation. These projects build on the foundational skills developed in Year 12, allowing students to further explore advanced techniques and develop their own artistic voice.
Year 13 students are encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, and respond to challenges in innovative ways. These skills are vital for their portfolio and prepare for their externally set assignment, which culminates in their final practical examination.
Year 13 is a pivotal stage where students blend their technical abilities, creative exploration, and conceptual thinking, preparing them for both their A-Level assessments and potential future studies in creative fields.