Art & Design
“The true work of art is born by the artist, a mysterious, enigmatic and mystical creation.”
Wassily Kandinsky
Welcome to the Art & Design subject page. Below you will find a breakdown of each year group, including what is taught, how we assess, what enrichment opportunities there are and what can be expected in terms of homework. If you need any further information, please contact the Head of Department, Mrs Morris, at jmorris@cromwell.cambs.sch.uk.
Click here to see a visual representation of our Art & Design curriculum from Year 7 - Year 13
HOMEWORK
Homework is set on a regular basis by the class teacher and can be accessed by logging into your Arbor account.
Here are links to websites to enhance your learning:
ENRICHMENT
The enrichment opportunities will be updated early in the new academic year.
ABILITY GROUPING
Art & Design is taught in mixed ability groups.
TEACHING STAFF
- Mrs J Morris (Head of Art & Design)
- Mrs J Black
- Mr L Oliver
CURRICULUM
Primary Phase
We follow the National Curriculum for Art and Design education at Cromwell Primary Phase. Our curriculum is creative and cross curricular but with this in mind, when Art and Design is taught as distinct subjects in a skills-based manner, there is clearer progression and the teaching and learning is more rigorous. Art and Design teaching provides an excellent way to enrich our curriculum and link to other curriculum areas. Links to themes or projects are still be made, but from a position of far greater strength and understanding.
At Cromwell children are given opportunities to explore their ideas by experimenting, inventing and creating their own varied works of art using a range of materials. They will learn how to draw, paint, sculpt and explore other art, craft and design techniques. They also learn about how art has shaped our history and how it reflects it.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Children are given opportunities to be imaginative, explore different materials and develop their ideas. Children are encouraged to practice their handling, moving and control skills (for example, by painting or using clay). Materials are accessible for children to develop and explore their ideas and to be imaginative.
Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)
Pupils are given opportunities to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products through drawing, painting and sculpture. They explore different techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. Children learn about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)
The content of the Art and Design curriculum in Key Stage 2 builds on what children have learned in Key Stage 1. Children develop and improve their skills in drawing, painting and sculpture using a range of different materials. All our children create sketch books to record their learning and use them to review and revisit ideas. They continue to learn about great artists, architects and designers in history.
Key Stage 3
What do we teach?
Please follow the link at the top of this page to view the Art & Design Curriculum Map.
How do we assess learning?
Follow the links below to determine if your child is working to secure level:
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| Autumn Term 1 | Autumn Term 1 | Autumn Term 1 - Architecture |
| Autumn Term 1 - Illustration |
Key Stage 4
EDUQAS GCSE Art, Craft & Design DC651QS
What will I study?
Art, Craft & Design is a practical course designed to introduce you to Art techniques across painting, drawing, printmaking, photography and 3-Dimensional art; then using these skills to investigate a theme and design your own personal outcomes. It builds on the core skills and art concepts you have explored through KS3, however it encourages you to make more independent creative decisions around the research, exploration and design of your own work.
You will learn to observe and respond in a visual way to take creative and experimental risks to produce work. We will experiment with Threshold Art concepts and the visual elements such as colour, line, shape, form, tone, texture to help develop and design artwork. You will analyse artists’ work and explore the meanings and contexts behind the Art. You will learn how to organise and structure a personal project, to present portfolios of work and research and how to reflect on your work and that of others to refine and develop ideas and essentially create original and exciting pieces of Art.
This course will be good for you if:
- You can work practically and independently on sustained pieces of art work
- You are willing to take risks and experiment and make mistakes before improving.
- You enjoy reflecting on the work of other artists, and can use this to inspire your own ideas.
- You enjoy art, craft, design, or visual arts or have an interest in the wealth of pathways within the creative industries.
- You are interested in creative, graphic, photographic, or digital design courses after GCSE
How will I learn?
Your lessons will take the form of either workshop sessions, 1:1 critiques, group exercises, independent research, study and development or teacher led sessions.
Over the first term of year 10 you will be taught different approaches to exploring a theme through foundation projects covering painting, drawing, mixed media, printing, photography and 3Dimensional work. This will be produced on large sheets enabling you to explore presentation skills to incorporate both visual and written research and ideas.
For the remainder of years 10 and 11 you will produce one in-depth project of work. This project will have a set theme established by the department that students will explore independently to suit their own interests and research. This project has weekly foci however it is almost fully student led, with teachers providing media workshops and 1:1 tutorials based on students chosen pathways. During this project students need to produce a creative statement to explain and reflect on their work and ideas as the project develops. This project culminates in a fully developed final piece of the students own design.
How will I be assessed?
You are continuously assessed in your work against four Assessment Objectives:
A01 - Contextual Understanding
A02 - Creative Making
A03 - Reflective Recording
A04 - Personal Presentation
Unit 1 – Coursework (Years 10 & 11)
All work that is produced in lesson and at home will count towards a final GCSE grade. The coursework amounts to 60% of this final grade, and is continuously assessed and added to throughout the 2 years.
Unit 2 – ESA Externally set Assignment
In January of Year 11 you will receive an exam paper with 15 different starting points. You will chose one and spend around 10-12 weeks producing a sketchbook of research, ideas, developments and experiments to explore that starting point. You will then produce a final outcome for that project within a 10 hour controlled assessment period. This accounts for 40% of the grade.
All work is internally assessed by the art department before being externally moderated by a visiting examiner.
GCSE Art & Design Exam Specification
Will there be any independent study?
The most exciting part of this course is the opportunity for you to design and direct your own projects. This requires you to research, create, refine, analyse, and work independently. You need to be willing to research themes from first-hand experience such as galleries, exhibitions, workshops and you will be expected to complete tasks at home and outside of lessons to build and refine on workshops and techniques explored in class.
What do I need for Art and Design?
The Art department will provide basic/specialist materials for use within school. To enable you to work outside of lesson, or at home you will need to purchase an Art Pack from school. The Art packs are cost efficient and supply good quality materials. In year 11 you will need to 2 more sketchbooks. These are all available to purchase on ParentPay.
At minimum, if students want to supply items themselves, they will need a good pack of drawing pencils, a rubber, a glue stick, an A2 Folder and 3x spiral bound A3 sketchbooks (120gsm) for the course.
Key Stage 5
WJEC Eduquas GCE A Level in Art & Design (Fine Art)
Art & Design (Fine Art) A Level
Fine Art places emphasis on the aesthetic and intellectual purposes of Art. It is a challenging, but exciting course which provides you with an opportunity to develop a broad foundation of critical, practical, and theoretical skills to enable you to engage with a range of practices and contexts.
It develops your ability to innovate, reflect and respond to personal and real-world experiences expressively to produce visual outcomes. Due to the skill-based nature of the course it is a requirement that you have achieved a grade 5 in GCSE Art.
What will I study?
Over 2 years you will produce a portfolio of supporting work and outcomes based around a personal theme to demonstrate a high level of skill across a variety of mediums. You will experience practical workshops supported by theoretical and analytical lessons that dissect the nature of art and its visual and composition elements, to build an integrated and confident understanding of its context. Drawing, refining, analysing, and taking experimental risks are key factors of the course.
It is beneficial for you to visit exhibitions, galleries, and museums to gain first-hand insight and experience of contemporary and historical Art practice.
Course Specific Entry Requirements
Due to the skill-based nature of the course it is a requirement that you have achieved a grade 5 in GCSE Art or an equivalent course. However a varied portfolio of work would be considered in the absence of an Art & Design GCSE or equivalent.
Examination Board: Eduquas
Click here to view the A Level Art & Design exam specification
For information on our A Level Photography course please click HERE
