Curriculum Intent:

We aim to create the best Artists, Designers and Photographers. We challenge students to think, act and speak like creative practitioners. We endeavour to achieve this by teaching students to become visually literate by introducing them to the formal elements of Art from day one and leading on to the principles of design from year 9 onwards. Throughout all of the Key Stages we teach the UAH students how to read, interpret and find meaning in signs, symbols, codes, conventions and how to question everything around them. We do this by giving students first-hand experience of a broad and balanced art curriculum. Students are given the opportunity to engage with examples of historical and contemporary art and design from a range of cultural contexts. We provide learning contexts that promote the understanding of the creative design industries, their role in the economy and how they can lead to exciting career opportunities. Our curriculum at UAH goes beyond what is taught in lessons, for whilst we want students to achieve the very best examination results possible, we believe that our passion for the Arts encourages the students to see that Art and Design goes beyond what is examinable. As a department we offer students extra-curricular clubs to develop their skills and knowledge further. We take the older students to national art galleries to participate in workshops and exhibitions such as the Tate Modern and National Portrait Gallery in London.  At KS5 students are invited to participate in life drawing sessions and they are strongly encouraged to enter national Art and Design competitions which develop their advanced drawing techniques and prepare them for higher education to study in Art and or Design courses.

Ambition of UAH Art and Design Curriculum:

• Successful learners who show a love of Art and Design, and desire make good progress and achieve their potential.
• Inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about Art and Design in the world around them will remain with them for the rest of their lives.  Pupils need to know that everything around them that has been manufactured has had an input by a creative practitioner.
• A broad and balanced curriculum that covers the formal elements of Art and introduce them to a large range of artistic materials, techniques and processes.
• A sense of freedom & flexibility to cover world events as and when they take place. As Art and Design enables the students to express their feelings and thoughts in a non-threatening environment.
• Art and Design is a fascinating subject as it is interesting, challenging and enables the students to question their position in the world around them.

Aims, linked to the curriculum (National Curriculum and Specification criteria)

The aims of the Art and Design Department at UAH has been influenced by the purpose and aims of the National Curriculum (DfE 2013), AQA Specifications that we follow at GCSE, A Level and University Arts London which we follow for the Level 3 course in our sixth form. All of these Programmes of Study highlight areas that we feel are particularly important in the 21st Century. These aims are:

1. produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences (DFE 2013)
2. become proficient in drawing, painting, and other art, craft and design techniques (DFE 2013)
3. evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design (DFE 2013)
4. know about great artists and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms (DFE 2013)
5. Solve complex problems through the application of art, design or related practical, theoretical and technical understanding. (UAL Sept 2013)

Implementation - How is the curriculum delivered?

Lessons are linked to the Term’s topic at KS3, in ‘hour lessons’ which for Art is taught every week. Each lesson has a set of individual PowerPoints to support classroom teachers along with supportive resources for the lessons, video clips and particular equipment for the teacher to use. Art & Design at KS4 also have lessons that contain individual PowerPoints and learning resources and equipment available for each lesson. Each Scheme of work has been built with our students in mind to ensure they are taught key skills and knowledge with links with culture, diversity, equality and inclusiveness. Teachers use a wide variety of strategies during the lesson and in planning times to help students retain and knowledge in practical skills tasks. Students are assessed at the end of each term in Key Stage 3 and every 2 weeks at Key Stage 4. Student’s skills in Art & Design is a fundament aspect of the course and for this reason in various lessons teachers are consciously reviewing and teaching students skills. Students use their skills in tasks and final pieces throughout the year, which shows how students are able to show they have used their knowledge and understanding through applying their skills, which is needed for the course. Each topic’s Scheme of work is centralised planning for the department to ensure that key concepts are addressed through teaching. The department have regular learning walks, observations and book scrutiny at UAH. Art and Design feedback is given in various different ways: Self and peer feedback and Teacher feedback is given verbally and written. Formal WWW and EBI feedback is given for formal tasks and at the end at every topic. Students are assessed in line with school policies and there are regular formative and application checks along with summative assessments in KS4. There are 3 data capture points throughout the year, which are logged on Sims. Data is used to inform planning, work to re-visit and to target individual or groups of students for intervention. KS5 have tutorial record sheets which assesses students process throughout their topics. In KS3 - 5, students develop their writing skills through their use of annotations, artist studies and evaluations.