Art & Photography
“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” - Ansel Adams
Our curriculum aims to engage, inspire and challenge students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. As pupils progress, they learn to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. Pupils will understand how art and design both reflect and shape our history.
The KS3 Art & Design National Curriculum considers major movements from ancient times up to the present day and has 5 main teaching strands which are:
- to use a range of techniques to record their observations in sketchbooks, journals and other media as a basis for exploring their ideas;
- to use a range of techniques and media, including painting;
- to increase their proficiency in the handling of varied materials;
- to analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, to strengthen the visual impact or applications of their work;
- to appreciate the history of art.
The art curriculum at Finch Woods is designed to meet these strands through project-based learning. We design and lead instruction that requires students to grapple with complex concepts and content, individually and collaboratively in groups. Lessons are challenging, engaging and empowering and we promote a mantra of “try and try again” to develop a growth mindset in our students.
At KS4, pupils have the opportunity to follow an Art and Design curriculum that incorporates photography.
Our KS4 Art and Design and photography curriculum is broad and ambitious, rich in skills and knowledge, designed to ignite curiosity and prepare pupils well for future learning or employment.
Our KS4 curriculum will give students the opportunity to:
- EXPLORE and seek ways of creating visual imagery regardless of their prior skills or experiences. Students are encouraged to research movements, genres and styles as well as methodologies that gain them new insights to the world of Photography;
- CREATE and develop confidence to respond to given stimuli through visual form, whilst demonstrating individuality in their approach;
- EVALUATE and reflect on their own thoughts and outcomes whilst considering their own contextual placement when making comparisons and contradictions to the work of others.
The Art Design and photography curriculum enables pupils to develop as artists and creators while also developing key personal skills such as, resilience, confidence and independence. Pupils learn to express themselves respectfully and positively, so that they are ready to contribute to society, future learning, and the world of work.
Key Stage 3 Art and Craft
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Key Stage 4 Art
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Key Stage 4 Photography
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Careers -Art and Photography