Notre Dame Catholic College
and Sixth Form

The purpose of Art is washing the dust of daily life from our souls.”

– Pablo Picasso

Art

Our art curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential artist knowledge that they need to be educated and artistically literate citizens. It introduces students to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human imagination, creativity and achievement.

Miss C Kenny

Miss C Kenny

Head of Art

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. Our art and design education engages, inspires and challenges students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As students’ progress, they are able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They will know how art and design both reflects and shapes our history, and contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

(Art and Design National Curriculum Programme of Study Active 2020)

 

Year 7, 8 and 9 Curriculum Content

Our Key Stage 3 art curriculum is shaped by the sequence of carefully selected media, genre, movements and artists listed below. Each unit of study is supplemented by a plethora of associated artists and is placed within its historical, societal and cultural context.

Year 7Unit/Topic
Autumn HT1Learning to draw expressively. Artist Connections: Vincent Van Gogh.
Autumn HT2Learning to paint expressively. Artist Connections: Vincent Van Gogh.
Spring HT1Learning to explore Fauvism colourful theories within drawing and print. Artist Connections: Andre Derain.
Spring HT2Comparing drawing and painting applications within expressive and photo real imagery. Artist Connections: Kate Brinkworth and Nigel Humphries.
Summer HT1Learning to construct pattern designs influenced by Native American Art. Artist Connections: Rainy Naha.
Summer HT2Know about natural forms and how they influence design thinking. Artist Connections: Amiria Gale and Jorn Utzon.

Year 7 Curriculum Map

Year 8Unit/Topic
Autumn HT1Developing a sense of identity - Portrait studies. Artist Connections: Martina Shapiro and Iain MacArthur.
Autumn HT2Learning how to effectively draw and paint the anatomical portrait image. Artist Connections: Michael Shapcott.
Spring HT1Continuing the study of Michael Shapcott's portraiture. Artist Connections: Michael Shapcott.
Spring HT2Exploring the more playful potential for ideas development within portraiture. Artist Connections: Leonardo Da Vinci and Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Summer HT1Exposing the modern day portrait, the selfie. Comparing, historically, the notion of the ‘selfie’. Artist Connections: all year 8 artists.
Summer HT2Learning about ideas and concepts connected with “the mask”. Artist Connections: Alex Levin

Year 8 Curriculum Map

Year 9Unit/Topic
Autumn HT1“Moving Forms” – How the fast pace of movement and change within the modern world is captured by the artist. Artist Connections: Umberto Boccioni and Gino Severini.
Autumn HT2Making connections with different artist genres - merging influences of cubism with futurism Artist Connections: Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini, Salvador Dali and Marcel Duchamp
Spring Term HT1Still life into structures, ideas development now places focus on curved forms, spheres, cylinders. Artist Connections: M C Escher, Jean Metzinger and Patrick Caulfield.
Spring Term HT2Early local architectural forms - analysis of styles and ideas. Artist Connections: Alfred Waterhouse.
Summer HT1Considering building design and function Artist Connections: M C Escher, Salvador Dali.
Summer HT2Analyse the purpose of hoardings, the artists public canvas! Artist Connections: Own artist choice of those used throughout KS3.

Year 9 Curriculum Map

Year 10 and 11 Curriculum Content

At Key Stage 4, students follow the AQA GCSE Art, Craft and Design programme of study. The order in which we cover the content of these specifications is listed below. All students are examined in this course at the end of Year 11 and so revision throughout the two-year course is essential to a student’s success.

Year 10Unit/Topic
AutumnObservational drawing focus using a range of media
Spring2D and 3D media coursework project
Summer2D and 3D media coursework project
Year 11Unit/Topic
Autumn 1Coursework completion in response to project review
SpringControlled Assessment
SummerFinal coursework completion

GCSE Curriculum Map

Sixth Form Curriculum Content

GCE Curriculum Map

Key Stage 4 art and design students follow the AQA GCSE Art and Design specification. For further details, please follow the link below.

Download the full AQA GCSE art and design specification

Key Stage 5 art and design students follow the AQA A Level Art and Design specification. For further details, please follow the link below.

Download the full AQA A Level art and design specification

Please click on the logos below to visit Art-specific materials and resources.

  • BBC Bitesize KS4:
  • Oak National Academy:

 

Please click on the First Careers logo to visit their website.

A Student’s view

My Art lessons at Notre Dame not only helped me develop my skills, they broadened my interests in various media and styles of Art. There was always the chance to express ourselves and the teachers helped tailor the course to play to our individual strengths. The support I received from the department helped me develop as an artist and was one of the main reasons I chose to teach Art.

Laura Meaco (Art teacher at St Julie’s High School)