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
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 7 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Learning to draw expressively. Artist Connections: Vincent Van Gogh. |
| Autumn HT2 | Learning to paint expressively. Artist Connections: Vincent Van Gogh. |
| Spring HT1 | Learning to explore Fauvism colourful theories within drawing and print. Artist Connections: Andre Derain. |
| Spring HT2 | Comparing drawing and painting applications within expressive and photo real imagery. Artist Connections: Kate Brinkworth and Nigel Humphries. |
| Summer HT1 | Learning to construct pattern designs influenced by Native American Art. Artist Connections: Rainy Naha. |
| Summer HT2 | Know about natural forms and how they influence design thinking. Artist Connections: Amiria Gale and Jorn Utzon. |
| Year 8 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Developing a sense of identity - Portrait studies. Artist Connections: Martina Shapiro and Iain MacArthur. |
| Autumn HT2 | Learning how to effectively draw and paint the anatomical portrait image. Artist Connections: Michael Shapcott. |
| Spring HT1 | Continuing the study of Michael Shapcott's portraiture. Artist Connections: Michael Shapcott. |
| Spring HT2 | Exploring the more playful potential for ideas development within portraiture. Artist Connections: Leonardo Da Vinci and Giuseppe Arcimboldo. |
| Summer HT1 | Exposing the modern day portrait, the selfie. Comparing, historically, the notion of the ‘selfie’. Artist Connections: all year 8 artists. |
| Summer HT2 | Learning about ideas and concepts connected with “the mask”. Artist Connections: Alex Levin |
| Year 9 | Unit/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 HT2 | Making connections with different artist genres - merging influences of cubism with futurism Artist Connections: Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini, Salvador Dali and Marcel Duchamp |
| Spring Term HT1 | Still 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 HT2 | Early local architectural forms - analysis of styles and ideas. Artist Connections: Alfred Waterhouse. |
| Summer HT1 | Considering building design and function Artist Connections: M C Escher, Salvador Dali. |
| Summer HT2 | Analyse the purpose of hoardings, the artists public canvas! Artist Connections: Own artist choice of those used throughout KS3. |
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 10 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn | Observational drawing focus using a range of media |
| Spring | 2D and 3D media coursework project |
| Summer | 2D and 3D media coursework project |
| Year 11 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn 1 | Coursework completion in response to project review |
| Spring | Controlled Assessment |
| Summer | Final coursework completion |
Sixth Form Curriculum Content
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.
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)
