Art
Subject Overview
Redhill School’s art department is a vibrant area that is renowned for it’s quality and diversity. We explore a wide variety of disciplines including traditional and modern aspects of art, such as painting, drawing, sculpture photography and digitally manipulated images.
We teach a range of skills and techniques in year 7 and 8 as a foundation to pupils working more independently and to their strengths at GCSE. Projects are tailored to introduce and build upon skills. At GCSE pupils will work on a series of short projects to further explore techniques and ideas. They will also complete a large project in year 9 and 10. This work is then selected to form a portfolio which is 60% of their final grade.
Pupils studying art at Redhill School produce some outstanding work and find their studies enjoyable, stimulating and very rewarding.
We offer superb, purpose built Art facilities and an integrated computer suit which has 14 work stations. Within each of the rooms there is ample design space to get creative, as well as specialist break out areas for those students wanting to turn their 2D work into 3D masterpieces.
Our annual art exhibition in the Autumn celebrates the success of the department and showcases the talents of every student who took their GCSE exam that year.
Our schemes at KS3 are carefully written to cover a variety of art, design and craft disciplines and techniques, such as painting, drawing, printing, sculpture and some digital media. Pupils will gain skills in these areas so they are fully equipped for the GCSE course if they choose it in their options.
Year 7
Colour, Shade and tone
Ceramic coil pots
Pattern – usually with a cultural theme, currently Day of the Dead
Year 8
Peter Randall Page—drawing and printing
Plaster bandage (modroc) or paper mache Sculptures
Pointillism and Impressionism
GCSE
At GCSE schemes of work build upon techniques learnt at KS3. A range of short and longer projects are undertaken covering drawing, painting, ceramics, printing and photography with opportunities for pupils to work more independently and show off their skills. A large selection of this work is then selected for the final portfolio which is 60% of their final grade.
Preparation work for the exam is then started in January of year 11. Pupils are given topics set by the exam board to choose from. They will work on and develop their ideas in materials of their choosing to create a project on the set theme. There is a 10 hour exam (spread over several days) where they will create their final piece. All work (including the preparatory work) is entered for the exam which is 40% of their final grade.
Extended Learning
In year 7 and 8 we set a number of short, weekly extended learning tasks, such as drawings or research work. We also set longer tasks for most projects that usually involve creating something unique, such as a decorated pot or vessel from recycled material.
At GCSE extended learning will be tailored to the topic, with some weekly tasks and some extended ones. As projects develop, pupils are expected to use some extended learning time to work independently on their own ideas.
Exam 2019
Additional resources for exam questions
GCSE Art Exhibition September 2017