Department vision
Our vision is to enrich the quality of our artists’ creative experiences; to inspire, inform, stimulate and challenge all students in art and design. We want our students to aspire to become innovators, and experiment, invent and create their own thoughtful works of art.
Art and Design at Bower Park Academy offers students the opportunity to develop their creativity by using a range of skills in a wide variety of contexts. We aim to inspire and challenge students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment and express their own ideas with confidence.
In line with the National Curriculum for Art and Design, we ensure that all students;
- produce a portfolio of creative work, exploring their ideas, provoking thought and recording their experiences
- become proficient in experimentation in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques, such as photography and digital editing
- evaluate and analyse the creative works of others, using the language of art, craft and design
- create purposeful and meaningful outcomes based upon their research and development of ideas
- know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development and significance of their art forms in modern society
What will my son/daughter learn at Key Stage 3?
At key stage 3, students will explore a range of skills based on the following themes:
Year 7 Learning Journey
Autumn
Theme: Order/Disorder
Art Movements: Renaissance and Contemporary Art
Genre: Drawing and Painting
Support Artists: Leonardo da Vinci and Michael Craig-Martin
By the end of this unit, students will…
- be able to discuss Leonardo’s innovations
- be able to describe and discuss a key work exploring art elements and design principles by Leonardo and Michael Craig-Martin
- respond and collaborate to create their own invention that reflects on the idea or concept, using mixed media
Spring
Theme: Decay
Art Movements: Surrealism and Conceptual Artists
Genre: Ceramics/Clay
Support Artists: Salvador Dali and Judy Chicago
By the end of this unit, students will…
- be able to discuss the development of Surrealism and the influence of psychological theories and techniques on art
- be able to describe and discuss how artists tell their stories through art
- respond and manipulate 3D surfaces to develop their own ceramic clay plate, reflecting on the concept or idea
Summer
Theme: Movement
Art Movements: Digitalism and Post-Internet Art
Genre: Multimedia
Support Artists: Eadweard Muybridge and Yayoi Kusama
By the end of this unit, students will…
- be able to understand how new technology encouraged ideas and brought changes to art practices
- have examined multimedia artists, and experimented using digital art
- respond and produce their own multimedia artwork that reflects on the idea or concept
Year 8 – Graffiti Narratives, Memories and Consumption
Year 9 – Islamic Art and Architecture, Reflection and Ordinary/Extraordinary
Which GCSE specification do we prepare students for?
At Bower Park Academy, students undertaking Art at GCSE will follow the Edexcel specification. The Pearson Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9–1) in Art and Design consists of two components; one internally assessed and one externally moderated component.
Component 1: Personal Portfolio – internally set by the art department, worth 60% of the qualification
Component 2: Externally Set Assignment – set by the exam board in January of year 11, worth 40% of the qualification
What will my son/daughter learn at Key Stage 4?
At key stage 4, students respond to the work of a range of artists and art ‘isms’, and critical studies is an integral part of all projects, allowing students to make a response to artwork through written word and discussion. They are introduced to a wide range of styles from different cultures and periods, and learn to appreciate the visual world around them. Students will develop a range of skills and learn new techniques to help them create new innovative ideas.
Students are marked and graded using four assessment objective criteria;
AO1 – Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources
AO2 – Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes
AO3 – Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses
AO4 – Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language
Students are fortunate to have major London museums and galleries within easy reach, and a programme of visits and opportunities to work with professional artists is used to stimulate new ideas and extend their own practice. As well as regularly visiting galleries independently, year 10 and year 11 GCSE students make an annual trip to the Tate galleries.
Are there any websites that will support my son’s/daughter’s learning?
Students are encouraged to reference BBC Bitesize when working independently to support their studies. Students need to complete a minimum of 4 hours independent study per week at KS4.
Students are encouraged to research the work of others to inform their own practice. many museums and galleries have digital collections of their works:
The Victoria and Albert Museum
Students should watch Sky Arts on a weekly basis – programmes such as Portrait Artist of the Year, Landscape Artist of the Year and documentaries on artists and designers can be tremendously helpful when developing ideas for their own outcomes.
We also have an extensive range of literature and artists’ books within the department open for all students to use to support their studies.
Head of Department: Mr R. Browne
