Art

List of TLR Holders and their responsibilities:

Miss Georgie Herbert - Head of Art
Mr Tony Peters - Teacher of Art 
Mrs Aimee Andrew - Teacher of Art and Photography
Mrs Natalie Parker - Teacher of Art and Design
Mrs Lizzie Patterson - Teacher of Art

Department aims:

The Art Department at Robert Mays believes that every student should enjoy creating and looking at Art. Through the observation and exploration of the visual, Art can open up new ways of seeing; it can develop creativity, explore values and feelings, whilst appreciating cultural diversity, enabling students to gain a greater awareness of the world they live in.

Approaches to teaching and learning:

Our curriculum aims to teach students the skills they need to fully engage with the work they do and develop their creativity on all levels. Students study a broad range of disciplines in relation to the work of artists and designers from historical and contemporary contexts. They develop their practical and critical skills, empowering them to learn and apply the formal elements of art, whilst developing their own concepts.
Students are encouraged to develop their technical skills and experience Art at first hand in order to inform their own practise and be artists themselves. The students are given the opportunity to create Art in a variety of media and to explore ideas and processes.

Why the department has adopted this curriculum plan: (Curriculum Intent):

During their time at Robert Mays students will have been given the opportunity to create Art in a variety of media and explore a wide range of processes. Students are encouraged to become independent learners, being able to understand their strengths as well as their weaknesses, allowing them to develop their abilities further.

Principles of sequencing learning in this subject: Our KS3 curriculum builds upon the limited Art knowledge that students bring from their KS2 experience. We develop their skills over time with an emphasis on drawing. These Art skills become more established and progressively complex over the KS3 course enabling students to become more independent, free thinking and prepared if they wish to continue to a GCSE level.

How students will receive feedback to enhance their knowledge and skills:

Reading List (Key Stage 3)

There is no reading list but students are encouraged to explore the artwork of others using both the department and school libraries resources.

Reading List (GCSE)

Students at GCSE must demonstrate an understanding of other artists and link these to their own work. This is done using books, visits to galleries and via online references.

Extracurricular and enrichment

All GCSE courses begin with an Art trip in order to gain a wealth of resources for students to begin their first unit of work. The department runs an after school Art club on one day per week.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural opportunities

All projects are linked to the work of other artists including many contemporary. Cultural and moral references are made throughout the KS3 and 4 courses.