Welcome to the Art and Photography Department

The Art Department at Harrow Way aims to encourage an understanding of art in its broadest terms. Our goal is to familiarise students with a range of materials, techniques and experiences as well as to introduce students to the rich and varied aspects of the history of art and cultures. Wherever possible, the use of Information Communications Technology is incorporated into projects. Our aim is to allow every student to develop and discover his or her interests and talents and to eventually achieve success at examination level. We place a strong emphasis upon imagination in our teaching, but link this with the need for sound technical expertise, and encourage students to develop the ability to differentiate between that which is original or cliched, beautiful or ugly and meaningful or contrived. In effect, we aim to teach a visual vocabulary so that students might acquire a perceptive view of the visual world.

Three highly trained members of staff offer an introduction to sculpture, painting and drawing, photography and Photoshop.

Art Curriculum Overview
Art Assessment Principles
Careers Link

Curriculum Content

Key Stage 3

During Years 7 and 8, students are taken back to basics and learn or revisit the formal elements. Across the two years, contextual, cultural and design projects are delivered, all of which revisit the basic skills to improve and extend, and build confidence. The Art department prides itself on having work that is accessible to all, but with room to extend. A wide range of materials and techniques is available so that artwork produced shows variety, imagination and personality. Opportunities are provided to explore new and familiar art materials and techniques, artists and styles: and ways to respond to them.  Sketchbook presentation skills are adopted in order to celebrate the work and show progress through the keystage. Verbal feedback is given continually and students will self, peer and class assess their work.

Year 7 Projects

  • Term 1: Students will begin their time at Harrow Way with a short, Observational drawing project, centred on Still life. Following on from this, students will be taught colour theory and their new found drawing skills will be applied during our first project, Bugs Life. Where students will study insects, to create their own.

  • Term 2: Following the Christmas break, Year 7 students will be introduced to clay and will learn fundamental techniques. They will examine the artistic process and concepts of Megan Bergman before crafting their own pinch pots inspired by her style.

  • Term 3: During the summer term, students will acquire the skills necessary for accurately drawing a portrait. This will involve a comprehensive study of facial proportions to guarantee precision in their artwork.

Year 8 Projects

  • Term 1: An introduction to Print, focusing on various methods including mono-printing, poly-block printing, and linocut. This will be accompanied by a comprehensive analysis of British artist Angie Lewin and her processes. Student’s final outcome will be to create their own linocut artwork inspired by Lewin’s distinctive style.

  • Term 2: Practicing their observational drawing techniques learned throughout year 7, accompanied by contextual research on the American artist Courtney Matterson. Students will learn contemporary clay techniques, leading to the final outcome of a relief tile, which will be displayed as an exhibition in the school.

  • Term 3: An in-depth look into wild-life artist, Alison Ingram. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of colour theory by creating their own paintings influenced by Ingram’s work, from their own animal photography.

Year 9

Art & Design

As part of their ‘Pathways’ program, students in Year 9 have the opportunity to continue their exploration of Art & Design. This year, they will engage in a variety of exciting projects that encourage creativity and skill development.

Project Themes

  • Little Book of Illusions
     Students will create concertina sketchbooks filled with artworks that explore the theme of illusions. This project will help them develop a range of artistic skills using various media and techniques.

  • Jabberwocky
    Inspired by the whimsical poem by Lewis Carroll, students will embark on a creative journey, transforming written words into abstract collages. This project encourages imaginative expression and interpretation.

  • Architecture
     Drawing inspiration from the works of artist David Hockney, students will create a photo collage based on architectural forms. They will then adapt this collage into a 3D cardboard relief, allowing them to design and construct their own miniature town.

Photography

Students may also choose to explore Photography as part of their Pathways. This subject offers an introduction to digital photography and editing through a series of engaging projects.

Project Themes

  • Intro to Photography
     Students will learn the fundamental expectations of a photographer by recreating essential compositions. They will analyse and edit their images, culminating in a glossary of photographic terms.

  • Long Exposure
     In this project, students will experiment with lighting techniques to create captivating portrait and landscape images. They will also explore various editing methods to enhance their photographs.

  • Experimentation
     This project emphasises the experimental side of photography. Students will conduct research on influential photographers and develop their own work in response, incorporating advanced Photoshop techniques. This project aims to prepare them for the demands of GCSE photography in the future.

Key Stage 4

Year 10 & 11 Art, Craft & Design and Photography

Students who follow the AQA GCSE Art and Design or Photography syllabus are awarded marks through the collective assessment of a portfolio. The portfolio that is started in Year 10 and continues into Year 11 is all marked and is worth 60% of their final GCSE grade. The externally set assignment which will begin after Christmas in Year 11 will be assessed and is worth 40% of the final GCSE grade.

In both Art and Photography, students are encouraged to extend skills to refine the quality of their outcomes as they develop ideas towards a more personal outcome. Researching the work of other artists, designers and photographers is encouraged throughout the course to inform the underlying meaning of the students’ work.  Projects will start to go in different directions as the students take ownership of their own work and branch out with explorative experimentation and contextual work driven by their own research.

Study visits to places such as Kew Gardens offers an opportunity for art and photography students to broaden their sketchbook work. A mock exam will take place in Year 10 to familiarise the students with the process and the time constraints.

Portfolio Themes (60%)

Art, Craft & Design

  • Natural forms:
    Introduction to how other artists have responded to the theme.  Series of exercises and experimentation in a range of media and techniques.

    Focus on sketchbook presentation.  Outcome is a glazed coil pot that has been designed around the theme of natural forms.

  • Past paper theme:
    Student choice of theme based on a previous AQA exam paper. This allows the pupils to understand the layout of the exam and start to personalise their learnings and sketchbook journey. Teachers will facilitate learning rather than teaching explicit skills. This prepares the students for their actual GCSE title the following year.

Photography

  • ‘Technical’:
    Introduction to the DSLR cameras, experimentation and advanced Photoshop skills; extending those learned in Year 9.

  • Natural forms:
    Introduction to how other photographers have responded to the theme. Series of exercises and experimentation in a range of media and techniques, including physical and digital manipulation.  Focus on sketchbook presentation.

  • Past Paper theme:
    Student choice of theme based on a previous AQA exam paper. This allows the pupils to understand the layout of the exam and start to personalise their learnings and sketchbook journey. Teachers will facilitate learning rather than teaching explicit skills. This prepares the students for their actual GCSE title the following year.

Externally-Set Task (40%)

In Year 11 students will receive a list of themes from the exam board.  Students work independently to explore one theme and prepare for a personal response which will be created in 10 hours under exam conditions.