Secondary Art

INTENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT


Subject Leader: Natalie Concannon (NC)


ORGANISATION:

  • The department currently comprises of NC and AH (who teaches Year 7) as well as an art Teaching Assistant: CD.
  • Art is delivered by NC who has taught the subject for 20 years and has been curriculum lead for over 10 years.
  • KS2 art is taught by the class teachers. KS3 students study one lesson of Art each week and 2 lessons at KS4. KS3 students study 3 projects per academic year and each project lasts for 1 term
  • At KS4 all students study GCSE Art and Design. They work towards completing a portfolio of work which consists of a wide range of materials and techniques. The GCSE is made up of 40% exam and 60% coursework
  • Year 9 students as of 2019 have started their GCSE early with the intention that they have a greater amount and better quality of coursework.
  • Base classes follow the same variety of projects as the main body of the school but is delivered on a 3-yearly cycle. The focus of the base classes will be to ensure they are gaining the appropriate skills and techniques in the KS3 / 4 curriculum of Art.

CURRICULUM:

Intent

  • The intention of the Art curriculum is to equip students with a progression of knowledge and skills they need to achieve and succeed in all Key Stages.
  • Students will develop a varied knowledge and creative range of skills and techniques that build sequentially each year throughout KS3 through a spiralised curriculum
  • The Art curriculum is ambitious. It follows the National Curriculum and is adapted according to the needs of students. Coverage allows all pupils to access the content and make progress. It builds through a progression of knowledge and skills leading to external qualifications and awards
  • KS4 students will develop their knowledge and skills from KS3 at greater depth in order to meet the standard expected for GCSE. All students study GCSE Art and Design and gain a qualification by the end of Year 11

IMPLEMENTATION

  • The Subject leader for Art and Design is responsible for overseeing the Primary Stage art which are centred around the national curriculum for KS2 and delivering the Art and design curriculum to all students from Year 7-11, devising Schemes of work, Tracking and Assessment and all forms of planning and assessment. Working closely alongside the base class teachers to ensure topics and skills are covered at appropriate times.
  • The Subject leader has strong subject knowledge and has been teaching the subject as both Art teacher and subject leader for 20 years. She has a clear role in leading any areas of development and the quality of Art teaching throughout the school. Art TA is experienced in supporting and extending students according to their needs and will vary the students they work with to allow independent growth.
  • The Art department is passionate about its students and raising their aspirations within all Key stages. High standards and expectations are set enabling every student to make progress and achieve their best. Student are challenged to surpass their targets. They have a sense of pride in their work
  • Setting of challenging, engaging Schemes of work where students can challenge themselves and succeed. High standards of behaviour in lessons through strong classroom management. Regular marking, tracking and intervention of students to raise aspirations and encourage progression
  • The way the curriculum is planned meets pupils’ learning needs. A Varied range of knowledge, skills and techniques are incorporated into all planning across KS3 and 4. Clear development of knowledge and skills are explicit within long term and medium-term planning
  • Students study a range of topics which are designed to incorporate a variety of techniques and cultures to develop both their knowledge, skills and awareness of other. The progression of knowledge and skills are built on each year to show progress and to deepen student knowledge and confidence prior to starting GCSE. These skills include e.g. drawing, painting, Textiles (batik and silk), 3D using clay and card. Within KS3 students are assessed regularly within their sketchbooks and final pieces.
  • At KS4 all students study GCSE Art and Design. They work towards completing a portfolio of work which consists of a wide range of materials and techniques. The GCSE is made up of 40% exam and 60% coursework
  • Detailed units of work to ensure the student’s portfolio is thorough and varied. Work to AQA guidelines and criteria to enable students to succeed at GCSE level. After school art clubs available once a week to develop portfolio work further, encouraging higher grades
  • Enjoyment of learning is embedded into all the teaching and planning in the subject to ensure that our students are engaged in all activities. Student feedback after each topic is studied, to ensure pupils have deepened their knowledge and skills in order to make progress
  • Year 11 Art exhibition is organised every year to celebrate students GCSE achievements. Exciting wall displays in classroom and corridor to celebrate the work of all students across the Key stages
  • Professional development ensures the quality of provision and teaching. It allows for teaching staff to continually develop their own skills allow even more opportunities for varied practices in the classroom. Ambition Institute & Transforming teachers- Focus being to create a curriculum that enables students to make connections of knowledge through key concepts. (1-year course. Started in summer 2022).
  • The Art department is well resourced in terms of physical resources. Opportunities to visit the local area and Art galleries encourage more primary sources for the students work. This further supports their ability to gain knowledge of different artists and styles and inspire creative ideas
  • Monitoring and assessment are a strength. Monitoring and evaluation take place regularly within the department through regular effective marking and feedback which is tracked and recorded by teacher, this helps identify any students who need additional support and more able students who can make further progress as well as identifying cohorts in the subjects. Assessments take place at the end of each term and is recorded by teacher responsible for the class and added to the wider school assessment. Through monitoring of this assessment, students can be identified and appropriate intervention can occur to allow them opportunities to show progress. Assessments are reliable, enabling pupils to make progress and to be entered for external qualifications and awards.
  • All students are given regular feedback both written and verbally
  • Regular lesson observations give valuable feedback on teaching, learning and assessment
  • There is regular standardisation within dept for GCSE coursework ensures appropriate interventions are in place to maintain strong outcomes

IMPACT

  • Students demonstrate their progression of knowledge and skills across the key stages through their work, discussions and feedback
  • There is clear progress at KS3. Regular intervention support students. Tracking and marking ensure students know what to do next to make progress
  • All students achieve some form of qualification depending on the Key stage they are in. Results at GCSE indicate a successful 3-year trend. All students entered achieved Grade 1 and above.
  • Beautiful displays around the school and in classrooms demonstrate students’ creativity and expertise
  • Excitement about art is demonstrated in KS4 e.g. through the attendance of parents at the Art Exhibitions of students’ work
  • Students develop their knowledge of the Arts and Culture through the curriculum and the wider community
  • Art makes a highly effective contribution to SMSC. It is threaded through the schemes of work and resources. Students grow in their confidence, self-esteem, independence and working collaboratively on projects, personal success, and Appreciation of Art and Culture is celebrated through art from different cultures, traditions, values and celebrations

Areas for Further Development

  • Continuing to raise the profile of the Arts in the school and wider community, develop links with other schools and art networks.
  • Develop art in the wider community- art workshops both in school and out of school.
  • Further promote Art on the school website with more links to Galleries and interactive Art sites
  • Stronger communication links between NC, primary teachers and base staff delivering the art curriculum.
  • Use the platform of Seesaw within the subject to build stronger links with home to share students work.
  • Deliver and share good practice from relevant CPD to other subjects in my cluster to align with Art
  • Research new assessment ideas for Art which will replace classroom monitor
  • Develop ICT skills relating to digital art through relevant courses.

Further reading:

Curriculum map

KS3 4 Roadmap