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Art and Photography

Our intent is to plan and deliver fun and exciting lessons that create a lasting impact on our students. We love our students to experience new and stimulating art work from across the globe, to see, first hand, artists at work, designers creating original enterprises and crafts people developing their profession within the art world. We aim to create the very best Artists, Designers and Photographers, through an engaging, inspiring and challenging curriculum that equips them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

We challenge students to think, act and speak like those working within the field. We do this by teaching students to become visually literate so they are able to read, interpret and find meaning in signs, symbols, codes and conventions, exploring and re-shaping them in their own work. Students experience of all three areas of Art, Craft and Design and are given the opportunity to develop their cultural capital, obtain an awareness of work related learning by engaging with practitioners and develop their understanding on art timelines through examples of historical art and design from a range of cultural contexts. We actively promote looking at the work of others, celebrating other cultures and encouraging diversity. We want our students to leave us bring responsible citizens, aware of the role they play in the world and the importance of art in contributing to society as well as confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.

Purposeful exploration, making and doing foster artistic and design awareness, understanding and skills. 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. At KS3 students develop their skills and understanding with progressive complexity and sophistication, so that they are able to make informed choices and work with increasing independence into Key Stage 4. Our curriculum at WHS goes far beyond what is taught in lessons, for whilst we want students to achieve the very best examination results possible, we believe our curriculum goes past what is examinable. As a department we offer students extracurricular clubs in Photography and Art to invite students to develop their skills and knowledge further in these areas. Inspiration for such activities if sought from current exhibits, trends within the field and experimentation with advanced materials in an environment similar to a studio. We strive to take students to both local and national art galleries to participate in workshops and exhibitions such as the Hepworth Gallery, The Manchester Museum, galleries in London and Tate Liverpool. We run workshops in school with visiting artists as well as specific workshops led by our feeder collages. All of which provide exciting opportunities for our learners!

Our curriculum in Art, Design and Photography forms a backbone to our departmental ethos. Working with different materials, processes, tools and technologies sparks pupils’ curiosity, provides intrinsic motivation, pride in their work and their developing skills. Engaging with different design contexts and materials creates highly engaged and motivated learners as they become able to explore the wider world and their place within it. Providing stretch and challenge encourages students to strive for their best, developing increased confidence with each creative obstacle they overcome. We aim to provide an environment in which students are happy to take risks, ask themselves questions about their creative journey and respond positively to both staff and their peers. Our subject naturally lends itself to collaboration, the sharing of ideas and peer critiques in which students are guided to use a positive, specific and helpful framework in which to discuss their own work and that of others. Being mindful and mannerly ensures the safety and enjoyment of all students in a studio environment. Our curriculum is designed to develop their LEARN values so that all learners know how to look after each other, enjoy Art, aim high, respect one another and never stop learning.

Our curriculum will lead to excellence at every level, providing our students with a strong foundation from which to excel in further art studies but most importantly for students to experience an enriching, informative, inspiring environment that allows them to thrive and smile whilst they learn!

Please see parental overview of the courses in KS3 and KS4 below.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4

Links for Support/ Help at Home

  • Use of student resources located within WHS SharePoint for students
  • Resources posted to teams and social media platforms
  • Gallery Visits/Attend artist workshops
  • Knowledge organisers
  • Use of YouTube tutorials
  • Participating in enrichment opportunities and clubs (in school and out of school)
  • Research and discussion topic themes