Art and Photography
We believe in the transformative power of art and its unique place in the wider curriculum. Our aim is to inspire students to explore the creative process and achieve the highest standards in their individual artwork. Our creative curriculum provides students with diverse opportunities to study current and past masters while learning core skills through a variety of media. Most importantly of all, we look to ensure the process of making artwork is all consuming and enjoyable, allowing our students to create unique work that they can feel truly proud of.
The Visual Arts team consists of four highly experienced Art and Design teachers with specialisms that include drawing, painting, printing and photography. We teach in four art studios with a central exhibition area in the hall and dark room. Excellent relationships exist between the staff, with collaborative planning, teaching, and assessment a key element of all exam courses.
Facilities
| Art is taught within four specialist Art rooms which are all equipped with an admin computer linked to a digital projector and screen for teacher use. There are six additional networked PCs for pupil use in each room, and laptops are available for booking. Department resources include Adobe Photoshop CS5 on all PCs, digital cameras and an A3 scanner and colour printer. The Photography classroom has a studio with choice of backdrops and professional lighting rig. Students studying Photography have access to the newest photoshop and a darkroom for A-level Photography. |  |
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, we offer a range of thematic projects that will help our students develop a variety of skills in traditional and new media. Our projects have been carefully designed to introduce students to a spectrum of artists and craftspeople in order to facilitate their understanding of art in its broadest context. Students will also develop artistic confidence and visual recording skills through structured and engaging lessons.
At the beginning of all creative work, students will be taught how to examine artefacts from across times and wider cultures to provide insight into the visual world around them. Each term, students will produce an in-depth project allowing them to work towards a personal piece of artwork in either 2D or 3D media.
Skills based projects at KS3:
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Year 7: Line and tone
Year 8: Colour and Pattern
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Key Stage 4
| GCSE Art and Design at Vyners offers students the opportunity to select Fine Art, Photography or Print to expand their practical and conceptual skills this starts in year 9. During the course, students develop artistic skills, creativity, imagination and independence while creating personal work in their chosen media. Particular emphasis is placed upon the acquisition of visual recording skills. |  |
- Art and Design Portfolio (60% Qualification). For this unit, students will produce a portfolio of work showing their personal response to a starting point. Students will hand in a portfolio and final images.
- Art and Design Edexcel-set task (40 % Qualification). For this unit, Students will be given a selection of starting points to choose from and will produce a visual response during a 10 hour practical exam. Students will produce preparatory studies to support their exam work.
The faculty follows Edexcel Art and Design Suite and more information about the course and subject specification can be found at https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/subjects/art-and-design.htm
Key Stage 5
- We hope that the firm foundation provided by our curriculum at KS3 and KS4 level has instilled in our students a love of the Arts and that they seek to continue their studies at sixth form level. We offer A-level Art and Design in Fine Art and Photography. For the first year the students are given workshops and pushed out of their creative comfort zone. In the second year they are encouraged to experiment, work independently and grow into confident artists. Our students’ work is highly personal, engaging and innovative. We enjoy celebrating their achievements in our annual summer exhibition. We provide opportunities for students to visit galleries to support their studies and exhibit their work in external exhibitions.
A Level Art and Photography
This is a two year course it will be assessed as follows: 
Component 1:60% of total qualification (coursework)
This component allows students opportunities to generate and develop ideas, research primary and contextual sources, record practical and written observations, experiment with media and processes, and refine ideas towards producing personal resolved outcome(s).
- This incorporates three major elements: supporting studies (sketchbooks), practical work (large pieces) and a personal written study.
- The personal study will be evidenced through critical written communication showing contextual research and understanding in a minimum 1000 words of continuous prose, which may contain integrated images. The personal study comprises 12% of the total qualification and is marked out of 18
- Marks available :90
Component 2: 40% of total qualification.
Externally set, assessed by the teacher and externally moderated.
- This incorporates two major elements: preparatory studies and the 15–hour period
of sustained focus.
● Preparatory studies will comprise a portfolio of practical and written
development work based on the Externally Set Assignment.
● During the 15–hour period of sustained focus under examination conditions, students will produce final outcome(s) extending from their preparatory studies in response to the Externally Set Assignment.
● The Externally Set Assignment is released on 1 February and contains a theme and suggested starting points.
● Students have from 1 February until the commencement of the final 15–hour period of sustained focus to develop preparatory studies.
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More information about the course and subject specification can be found at https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/.../edexcel-a-levels/art-and-design-2015.html The dept follows OCR for Photography and more information about the course and subject specification can be found at www.ocr.org.uk |
Enrichment Opportunities
The Art Department benefits from our close proximity to central London, and makes full use of the range of Galleries and related workshops / lectures on offer. We run a comprehensive range of organised visits, and encourage our sixth formers to make additional independent visits. Particularly effective use of these resources is made during the summer term, when the prospective A2 cohort visit a number of Graduate degree shows and exhibitions as inspiration for Unit 3.
The Art Department are exceptionally committed to providing our pupils with extension and enrichment opportunities, often giving up weekends and holidays to do so. These opportunities include study visits abroad (New York, Paris, Los Angeles) and annual exam workshops (Saturday workshop-year 11, Oxford- Year 12/13).
Extra-curricular
GCSE skills workshops- Display club- year 9
- Games workshop- mixed
- Artists workshops- year 12 and 13
- Open classrooms at lunch time and after school for independent projects(all years)
Subject Leader: Fran Vine
