What students will cover this year in Art?
In Key Stage 4 students will produce work at a greater depth as part of teacher led projects and as an end of year independent project. The teacher led projects extend the use painting, 3-D work with plaster and wire, ceramics and printmaking. The students will be using drawing as a foundation to all the art and design aspects of their work, and will be extending the range of drawing materials and techniques. They will be researching into practices, themes and media used by artists, and encouraged to work with greater independence with a broader range of materials. Some students may choose to work with film and photography using the art departments PC or Mac machines.
In Year 11 students will choose their preferred media and set their own homeworks relating to the mock and the final GCSE exam. We expect students to be independent and proactive in their learning this year. They need to ask for advice and support when they need it and set themselves appropriate time to work on their tasks.
What skills are being developed this year in Art?
Students will be working on projects related to previous GSCE art examination questions, developing skills that are used in producing a portfolio of work as part of the AQA course requirements. They will be developing skills of analysing and planning their practical work, writing brief critical analyses and evaluations of their work, using a wide range of appropriate technical language especially with regard to their artist research and practical work. They will be encouraged to reflect on their skills and media, and take opportunities to experiment with materials and techniques.
Our expectations of students in Art
We expect students to be well organised and bring their sketchbook, basic drawing materials (2B pencil, sharpener and eraser) and an overall to every lesson. This is a time where we expect students to become more independent in their study and their projects become more tailored to the students’ preferred media. They will be expected to develop the abilities to select and use tools appropriately, to refine and develop their work and make written explanations for their reasons behind the choice in their sketchbooks. They need to work with increasing independence and focus inside and outside class, making use of the practical facilities at school, and maintaining and refining written, planning and preparation work at home.
What they should be doing at home?
Home work is set every 1 or 2 weeks and they should spend 1.5-3 hours on it.
What parents can do to help them make progress?
Maintaining levels of focus and commitment to a practical subject over two years is important. Students should plan their work effectively and not leave things to the last minute. Parents can check to see how work is progressing. Visiting galleries here and when going on holiday is a good idea, especially where related to artist work chosen for a project. There are always high quality arts programme on television (usually BBC2 or BBC4)
Who to contact if there is a problem?
The student needs to talk to the art teacher first if she is struggling with the work. The student can always come in to the Art rooms at lunchtime to catch-up with and finish work. You can email art@newsteadwood.co.uk for further information.
Resources
This is a good opportunity to expand on the materials the student has. As well as the basics such as pencils it would be helpful to buy acrylic and watercolour paints, good quality brushes and pastels (oil and chalk). Some students may wish to develop their photographic or film making skills – access to a colour printer or computers with editing facilities (e.g. Photoshop) can be helpful, as these processes can take time to develop at home.
Questions parents should ask their children about Art
Each piece of homework will have a post it note stuck into the sketchbook with a grade and advice on how to improve. Ask your daughter if she has understood what needs improving. Also check that she is not spending too much time on homework. It is most important that your daughter has organised and planned her work so that she has a good balance to all her activities.
In Year 11 the projects are completed over a longer period and homework is not always set by the teacher each week. Advice is always given about what work is being done and how work should be progressing. Ask your daughter if she feels progress is going well and what she needs to move the work forward. After the result of the mock exam ask her if she understands what she needs to do to improve the mark.