Art & Photography Curriculum Map

“I have come that they may have life and they may have it to the full”
John 10:10

Statement of Intent

The curriculum at St Mary’s Art Department is holistic, covers the National Curriculum and is designed to embody the Catholic ethos of St Mary’s offering challenge within a caring and supportive community environment in which all pupils have the opportunity to thrive and achieve underpinned by Catholic and British values.

The ethos of our curriculum aims to develop the whole person; pupils become more spiritually, culturally and creatively aware. They become more resourceful, aware of careers, global issues and challenges faced by practising artists, designers and craftspeople and those of the future as well as where the skills developed during the study of art and design can lead in terms of future careers and employment opportunities.

We believe that all pupils can achieve regardless of SEND, cultural or economic background and ability. All schemes of work provide scope for adaptive teaching methods. In both art and photography, in order to develop independence, we offer support such as additional in class support, encourage peer coaching, tailored, highly personal project work and resources to enable individual pupils to access the curriculum. We work in collaboration with learning support to implement strategies to support individual pupils. In addition, pupils are supported with scaffolded learning resources which are introduced in small steps to enable pupils at all levels and those with barriers to learning to succeed. Bespoke support strategies are in place for higher needs pupils in conjunction with pastoral managers and key workers.

Our Art and Design curriculum has been collaboratively designed to provide our pupils with both the practical skills and knowledge needed to make a successful transition to the next stage of their life. It is our intent that our curriculum is a journey exploring and responding to the formal elements which underpin our lessons and schemes. Exploring both topical, historical, modern and contemporary art is fundamental to our schemes in addition to exploring the ethical, and social, economic power of art.

Literacy is essential and embedded within elements of our curriculum. Pupils have opportunities to harness their literacy skills and are regularly encouraged to engage in discussion, written and verbal analysis and evaluation of the work.

Visual literacy skills are essential for children to learn, especially in today’s media and technology driven world. With an increasing amount of imagery and technology available to our pupils in and out of art lessons, these skills are more imperative as the extensive internet and media use means that visuals are frequently warped or misrepresented, meaning that a higher degree of visual literacy is required to effectively translate our ever- changing environment. Where appropriate, we encourage conversation, discussion, critique and debate about students own work and that of other artists, designers and photographers.

We aim for pupils at St Mary’s to leave us with an educated perception of imagery and to teach our pupils to be sceptical and informed viewers of all visual media. By ensuring our pupils are visually literate we are arming them with life skills that assists them to make reasonable and intelligent sense of what they see around them.

Art is sometimes used as a vehicle for other issues. Pupils are encouraged to communicate their observations, imagination, feelings, and personal experiences and learn about other cultures.

Developing the cultural capital of our pupils by providing them with a means to engage with and understand the world around them and their relationship with it is one of our strengths. Embedded within our curriculum is the exploration of the work of other artists and designers from a spectrum of genders, ethnicities and beliefs. As there is a predominantly white British population in the catchment area in Blackpool, we believe that it is important to raise cultural awareness through art, and this is developed through exposure and discussion.

Art and photography work is displayed and celebrated regularly allowing pupils to take pride in their achievements which also develops their confidence as individuals as well and encouraging respect for the community environment.

The department is regularly involved in projects to support the Ethos of the school and provides opportunities for pupils to showcase work in both local and national competitions and local community projects.

Equipment is available for all pupils at KS3. We provide art packs at cost price for KS4 and KS5 pupils and have financial support options available for families in hardship. We strive to ensure that all work is accessible and that no pupil is in any way disadvantaged from accessing the curriculum on their terms, within the syllabus framework guidelines. All pupils are provided with all of the necessary materials and access to equipment for their classwork and home-learning and are encouraged and supported in class.

Regular extra -curricular opportunities run throughout the year to support all pupils to succeed.

For the pupils the department aims to:
1) Provide courses which are relevant to the pupils’ experience and ability.
2) Provide a classroom environment which is stimulating, pleasant and disciplined.
3) Promote good study methods and habits.
4) Develop persistence and resilience
5) Develop visual literacy skills.
5) Develop an art and design- based vocabulary.
6) Develop an awareness of art and design throughout history and in other cultures.

For the Academy the department aims to:
1) Contribute fully to the day-to-day running of the Academy.
2) Contribute to decision-making within the Academy.
3) Develop cross-curricular links and make the department accessible to everyone.
4) Be up to date with subject developments.
5) Be up to date with general developments in education.
6) Enhance the school environment with artwork
7) Support the Ethos of the Academy through the delivery of art curriculum and establishing links with the Catholic and wider community.

Art & Photography

KS2 information

At KS3 we build upon the following skills acquired at KS2
Recording
Use of sketchbooks to record observations, review, and revisit ideas.
Skill Development: Improving mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting, and sculpture, using a range of materials (e.g., pencil, charcoal, paint, clay).
Art History: Learning about great artists, architects, and designers.
Critical Evaluation: Analysing and evaluating their own work and that of others, using the language of art, craft, and design.
Purpose: To produce creative work, explore ideas, and record experiences.

Year 7 Curriculum Map

In year 7, pupils acquire skills in the use of a variety of artistic medium learn research skills gain in depth knowledge of Formal Elements and Colour Theory. Artistic skills acquired are applied to work created during the year.

Autumn 1

Formal elements – an introduction for pupils to develop an understanding of the Formal Elements Line, shape tone, colour, pattern & texture in art and design.

Autumn 2

Signs and Symbols in which pupils develop an understanding and interpretation of codes, conventions and symbols used to communicate thoughts ideas, cultural and religious beliefs. They create a visual response to the theme of symbols and produce an outcome for ADVENT religious festival drawing upon motifs, design and patterns drawn from either Asian, European, Islamic and African Cultures.

Lent 1

Young Impressionists based on the environment within art pupils explore and respond to work based upon the natural and built landscape through the exploration of colour.

Lent 2

Young Impressionists Pupils experience and demonstrate understanding of the first Abstract Movements in art “Impressionism” and “Fauvism

Summer 1

The built environment – Architecture Pupils are introduced to styles of Architecture, the role of Architects and develop observational drawing skills

Summer 2

The built environment – Architecture. Pupils develop practical responses to Historical and Modern forms of Architecture

Year 8 Curriculum Map

Pupils in year 8 build upon and apply skills acquired throughout Year 7 in extended project-based work developed during Year 8.

Autumn 1

Narrative Art in which pupils begin to study key historical pieces of Narrative work and how art is used to communicate thoughts, ideas emotions and represent micro, macro and meso events. Pupils explore historical narrative art and create highly personal outcomes to own life events in response to Greek Art.

Autumn 2

Narrative Art in which pupils analyse key pieces of Narrative Art such Picasso’s Guernica and other war art exploring the use of artistic medium.

Lent 1

Narrative Art Pupils imaginative drawing skills in response to war poetry and develop create highly personal responses to the theme of peace and conflict with reference to key events which have made history.

Lent 2

Art and Issues in which pupils are encouraged to see art as a medium to raise awareness of social, political or environmental current issues. Pupils research and respond to contemporary artists whose work highlights these issues.

Summer 1

Objects and Viewpoints in which pupils revisit the Formal Elements developing primary observational, tonal, mark making painting and basic photographic skills.

Summer 2

Objects and Viewpoints Pupils explore how styles of Art and Design have changed over the years and how culture, politics and society has had an influence on Art and Design styles into the 21st Century. Pupils create a personal response to Historical Modern and Contemporary examples of still life by artists such as The Cubists, Andy Warhol, Michael Craig Martin and Audrey Flack.

Year 9 Curriculum Map

Pupils in year 9 have an opportunity to refine and extend their artistic skills and there is an emphasis on contextual based studies and the creation of imagery in larger scale with the exploration of artistic medium

Autumn 1

Natural Forms –Pupils develop skills in observation and recording ideas and have the opportunity to basic image capture and learn how to generate own primary source material. Pupils refine further observational skills through the use of line, shape, tone, mark making and texture inspired by natural forms (sea life or botanical imagery)

Autumn 2

Natural Forms – Pupils study the work of artists who have created work inspired by the nature. Pupils extend and refine their use of artistic medium.

Lent 1

Natural Forms –Pupils develop conclusive practical responses to the work of

Lent 2

Colour and Pattern in art – A practical introduction to the use of Artistic medium. Pupils revisit Colour Theory and explore the use of colour and pattern in art developing drawing, painting, mixed media skills, and experience a series of experimental workshops informed by contextual sources, African Art , Frank Stella, Sonia Delauney, Paul Klee and the contemporary work of Iain Macarthur. They are introduced to the skills they would need to draw upon in preparation for study in art and design subjects at Key Stage 4.

Summer 1

Colour and Pattern in art – pupils revisit the Formal Elements through portraiture and explore and analyse the use of line, shape, tone, form colour and pattern in portraiture through the work of Alana Dee Haynes and Iain Macarthur.

Summer 2

Colour and Pattern in art – pupils refine experimental work and engage in the process of planning, refining and linking work to that of other artists.

Year 10 Curriculum Map

Art and photography – pupils build upon skills acquired at KS3 make connections between knowledge, understanding and skills when engaging with sources such as the work of artists, craftspeople and designers and when applying working methods and processes and work to cover the 4 interrelated GCSE assessment objectives;

Artist research and analysis (AO1),

Artistic competency in a variety of media (AO2),

Development of ideas based on prior research (AO3),

Personal response both written and visual (AO4).

Autumn 1

Introduction to the course and expectations and assessment – component 1 portfolio

Pupils are introduced the course and GCSE assessment objectives. Pupils embark upon the process of mapping and recording ideas based on themes such as portraiture, still life or natural forms as appropriate.
AO1 & AO3

Autumn 2

Developing ideas and experimental work and evaluating sources. – Pupils are encouraged to carry out own artist research and develop skills in analysing sources in written and practical form using appropriate materials, techniques and processes
AO1, AO2, AO3

Lent 1

Experimental work – pupils explore the use of techniques, media and materials to create effects in response to own sourced work of other artists, designers, craftspeople or photographers.
AO1, AO2, AO3

Lent 2

Subtheme development

Pupils develop more personalised directions for their portfolios and develop a more focussed use of techniques, media and materials to create effects in response to the work of pupils’ own chosen sources of artists, designers, craftspeople or photographers.
AO1, AO2, AO3

Summer 1

Refinement of own practical work.

Pupils work on refinement of ideas and more focussed subtheme work and carry out a series of further purposeful experimentation work in response to own sourced material.

Summer 2

Planning and development work Pupils develop composition plans, medium trials experiments in preparation for a 10 hour practical examination.
AO1, AO2,AO3,AO4

Year 11 Curriculum Map

Art and photography – Pupils work to refine and develop ideas making connections between knowledge, understanding and skills when engaging with own researched sources such as the work of artists, craftspeople and designers. Pupils work on refining and developing practical outcomes when applying working methods and processes. At this stage in the course pupils work independently to create a highly personal conclusive responses to stimulus material.

Autumn 1

Refinement and development of practical work in response to own sourced research

Pupils create more focused practical work in response to own sourced stimulus material of artists, craftspeople, designers or photographers.

AO1, AO2, AO3

Autumn 2

Refining and planning – Pupils work on composition plans, conclusive experiments and final photo shoots in preparation as they work towards creating conclusive outcomes
AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4

Lent 1

Launch of AQA externally set task component 2

Pupils carry out own research in response to externally set stimulus materials and generate personal ideas

At this stage, pupils embark upon initial observational work and recording ideas in visual form.

AO1, A03

Lent 2

Component 1 – Thematic development

Pupils work on creating personal, more refined work using artistic or digital media experiments applying appropriate artistic techniques in preparation to approach a practical mock examination.

A01, A02 A03 A04

Summer

Final preparation for practical examination

Pupils create conclusive plans, experimental work and photoshoots in preparation for final practical examination

Pupils submit component 2 and completed component 1 portfolio work in preparation for

A Level Fine Art

A LEVEL FINE ART 2 YEAR CURRICULUM

The A-Level Art and Design curriculum outlines a two-year, practical course designed to foster independent, creative, and critical thinking through the exploration of various media and techniques. It emphasises a “learning by doing” approach, enabling pupils to develop personal, in-depth investigations that link practical, skills-based work with contextual understanding, culminating in both portfolio-based coursework and timed, externally set assignments.The curriculum is designed to;

Encourage Independence: To develop independent, critical, and analytical minds capable of producing unique, personal, and meaningful responses.

Develop Technical Skill: To foster mastery in a wide range of media, techniques, and processes (e.g., painting, sculpture, lens-based media, mixed media).

Foster Visual Literacy: To enable pupils to understand, interpret, and communicate ideas using visual language.

Contextual Understanding: To explore the work of artists, designers, and craftspeople from past and contemporary, local and global, societies.

Pupils are assessed on 4 key assessment objectives

AO1 Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations

Investigate and analyse relevant art, craft, design, and media, exploring historical and contemporary contexts.
Demonstrate critical understanding and make connections to your own work.

AO2: Explore and experiment with materials, processes, and techniques

Use a wide range of appropriate media, materials, and technologies.
Experiment with different approaches, including digital and non-digital.

AO3: Record observations and ideas in a variety of ways

Create detailed drawings, sketches, and visual records of experiences and research.
Show an awareness of relevant specialist terminology.

AO4: Present a personal, informed response

Organise, select, and communicate ideas, presenting a personal outcome.
Show awareness of audience, purpose, and the relationship between form and function.

Year 1 CURRICULUM MAP

Autumn 1

Introduction to the course -Exploration of the Formal Elements and Composition in Art.

Pupils engage in a series of practical and thematic research skills to enable them to approach their component 1 personal investigation;

AO1 – Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations.

Pupils formulate and present an independent proposal for their component 1 personal investigation.

Autumn 2