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Art and Design

Introduction

The Art curriculum is planned around the features of the RGSHW cohort. It is an ambitious, rigorous and stimulating subject. Art uses creativity and hones practical skills to equip the students with the knowledge and ability to invent and create works of art, craft and design across all three key stages. Making art is a powerful tool; it can raise social consciousness, promote democracy and be a vehicle for change. It is therefore especially important that young, bright and enquiring minds have the opportunities to develop their cognitive skills through analysing artwork and eventually planning their own projects that challenge and engage.

We offer extracurricular opportunities such as trips in Year 9 to Harry Potter Studios, Year 8 Ceramic workshops, and an Art Lunchtime Club, to name a few. We are also launching Arts Award in 2020 supported by our practising Artist in Residence.

Years 7 to 9

Pupils from Year 7 to Year 9 draw on disciplines such as printmaking, painting, draughtsmanship, 3D and digital. The boys start with an introduction to the power of colour and the importance of Colour Theory. The projects develop, stimulate and challenge throughout the three years. The final Stop Motion Animation project in Year 9 becomes a celebration of the wealth and diversity of the Creative Industry.

Art encourages the boys to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, resilient, and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present art and design, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. This breadth and understanding of the Arts will equip the pupils in these formative years with the skills and knowledge to build and extend learning further up the school should they continue with the subject at GCSE.

GCSE

We offer two Art GCSE’s at RGS, Fine Art, and Graphic Communication. The two-year course is made up of 60% Coursework and 40% Exam. Both Specifications encourage the boys to use the foundation of KS3 to develop their ideas and skills further. In Graphics they are introduced to Adobe Photoshop. The encouragement to develop their cognitive skills helps the boys create dynamic and exceptional outcomes that reflect the diverse nature of the subject.

The coursework consists of two projects. Each unit of work includes a visual journey of ideas, research, and experimentation. Work is recorded predominantly in a sketchbook or digital sketchbook and accompanied by one or two resolved final outcomes. The structure of the exam is similar in nature, with a sketchbook produced over 10 weeks accompanied with a final piece created in exam conditions over a two-day period.

We offer extra support sessions throughout the course. Our Artist in Residence gives additional support to all the boys working in 3D.

The A Level course follows the AQA exam board specification. Assessment is 60% coursework and 40% examination. Students are supported by regular one to one tutorials and additional support from our Artist in Residence. Through his technical expertise, the students’ outcomes are even more exceptional, varied and dynamic. Throughout the course the boys build resilience, learn to think laterally, take risks, and produce high-quality art. These are transferrable skills, often sought after by universities. We are fortunate enough to have a number of visiting speakers, ranging from experts in fields as diverse as architecture to animation. Our students understand how Art makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth, and well-being of the nation, and they often choose to follow their artistic passions into higher education.