Art

Year 6
Students are given an introduction to drawing and painting materials. They look at basic colour theory and colour mixing and the concepts of line, tone, form, shape and basic composition. Their starting points are the themes of Still Life and Gargoyles for the year.  They gain experience in printmaking, ceramics and sculpture.

Year 7
Students develop their independent learning skills and are taught using the work of artists relevant to the given project.  They will have the experience of visiting an art gallery and their starting points are the Tate Modern Art Gallery in London and the theme of Landscape.  They will develop their skills when combining multimedia and will explore painting techniques and processes.

Year 8
Students build on their learning in Year 7, developing their independent learning skills.  They are taught using the work of artists relevant to the given project.  Their themes for the year are Portraiture and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, which they will also visit.  They will gain experience in photography, photoshop, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture.

Art
Art is an important and ever developing subject at Blackminster Middle School. The department aims to inspire students, giving them all a safe environment with interesting and creative experiences. Pupils’ understanding and enjoyment of art and design is paramount and there are a range of activities that are designed to develop their knowledge and understanding of Art, encouraging them to question and think about their work and improve their skills.  Each student is encouraged to achieve high standards, be adventurous and experiment with a range of media and processes. Sketchbooks are an essential part of their independent learning and students are encouraged to use these effectively to aid their creative development, improve their confidence and extend their capabilities in the subject.
In Art we aim to:

• provide students with the opportunity to learn new skills, develop imaginative responses, record feelings, express ideas, stimulate their creativity and imagination.
• provide structured schemes which cover a variety of topics and incorporate the use of various materials, techniques and processes.
• encourage students to become aware and develop an appreciation of the importance of Art and Design in everyday life and contributions made by past, present and future artists and designers.
• help improve student’s visual awareness and artistic vocabulary.
• encourage students to be able to select and experiment with different materials to improve their skills and their own artistic style.
• develop discussion and evaluation of student’s own work and that of others, and share their ideas and opinions.
• Encourage student’s self-confidence and allow them to take pride in their work.

Curriculum Guidelines

Pupils will:

• produce observational drawings where they will record what they see and what they recall from memory.
• undertake imaginative and expressive activities, recording their ideas and feelings and exploring their imagination.
• explore the formal elements of art: line, tone, colour, shape, form, texture and pattern.
• develop their knowledge and familiarize themselves with a range of artists and styles, improving their knowledge of art history and other cultures.
• learn a range of skills including drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, sculpture, pottery, 2-D and 3-D work, collage and digital media.
• work independently and in groups.
• use various materials and equipment safely.
• explore cross-curricular themes where appropriate.
• make use of art books in the department library and carry out their own research using the internet to develop their knowledge and inspire subsequent work.
• be shown examples of artists work relevant to their own work being produced in class.
• be expected to work to their highest ability at all times.
• be given a sketchbook in which they will complete all artwork, both in class and home learning tasks, covering a range of topics and activities