Art

Curriculum Intent

To have uncompromising aspirations for every individual and for our school to be an exceptional and inspirational community of lifelong learners.
To ensure all students have the knowledge to critically engage with the conversation of humankind.

The art department at Hayes School is a living and breathing testament to students’ powers of self-expression through the visual medium of art and design.

Purpose

Art, Craft and Design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity.

At Hayes School we are committed to delivering a high-quality Art and Design education that continually inspires and challenges. Our purpose is to equip our young artists, designers, crafts men and women with the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop, experiment, record in order to realize their creative intentions through the media of drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and textiles. We actively promote critical and analytical thinking in order that our pupils develop a rigorous understanding of the role art and design play in society. Through the study of artistic genres and artists from past and present both male and female, we develop a culture where our pupils appreciate how art and design can both reflect and shape our history.

We aim to equip them with the necessary skills to leave Hayes School and progress to universities and art colleges where they will successfully contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Technical Acumen - Knowledge of 2D and 3D Skills
Awareness and appreciation of other artists' working practises
Confidence in the use of artistic visual language
Working independently
Ability to review and refine work as it progresses
Ability to evaluate own work and make links and connections with art from other genres, styles and periods of time
Experimentation

How our curriculum shapes learners

Creativity matters, self-expression is a valuable form of communication; the Visual Arts are an amazing and necessary vehicle for change in the world, that pupils reflect the positive and the negative aspects of society and the world around them, that they are like sponges and soak up all the good and bad in the world – the dangers, anxieties, the bigotry and poverty but also the beauty and the resilience of humans and nature.

Art at Hayes School encourages students to be inspired by Art, to be moved to question, to discuss and to analyse the world around them. Art at Hayes School challenges students’ perceptions of stereotypes and teaches students to embrace differences and uniqueness.

Art at Hayes school encourages students to experiment, to have fun, to take risks, to work outside of their comfort zone, to think outside the box, to challenge themselves and the viewer.

Art at Hayes School supports students in expressing their thoughts, feelings and emotions through 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional visual languages.

Art at Hayes School supports students in communicating their ideas and concepts about themselves and the world around them through painting, drawing, photography, sculpture and textiles.

The Art department develops the Hayes Learner by supporting students in producing creative work, exploring own ideas and recording own experiences.

All Key Stages of the Art curriculum at Hayes School develop students’ visual language skills, and confidence in self-expression. At each key stage a wide range of skills and techniques are taught and scaffolded into the subsequent key stages. Each Key Stage explores a different set of concepts, techniques, processes, cultures and genres of Art and design. Technique is crucial. If pupils are not taught a visual language, then they will not be able to communicate their ideas. Once we impart technique and skill, we give pupils a voice to express themselves.

Once pupils gain confidence in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, textiles then they can begin to visually explore what is in their heads and hearts. It is a symbiotic relationship – the ball is in the teacher’s court then the ball is in the pupils’ court – pupils are taught techniques/processes and ways to interpret artists’ work and then encouraged to become independent learners and masters of their own creative voices. Discussion and exploration of other artists’ work is crucial – by enabling students to recognise and appreciate what other artists do and what they say through their work, helps to inspire and motivate pupils in the creation of their own art.

Academic end points
Year 7	By the end of Year 7 students will have followed a skill-building foundation course in Art and Design. Students will have been introduced to the 2-dimensional formal elements of, line, tone, pattern, texture, form and colour. Through the first year of Key Stage 3 students will have worked in a wide variety of media and materials through a range of artistic techniques and processes. Students will have learnt how to appreciate the working methods of an array of contemporary male and female artists as well as artists from the past. Students will have been able to explore ideas around their own life experiences culminating in several personalised outcomes.
Year 8	By the end of Year 8 students will have studied one-and two-point perspective. Students will have gained knowledge and understanding of the theory and practise of creating 3D perspective in a flat space. Through the second year of Key Stage 3 students will have worked in a wide variety of media and materials through a range of artistic techniques and processes. Students will have learnt how to appreciate the working methods of an array of contemporary male and female artists as well as artists from the past. Students will have been able to explore ideas around their own life experiences culminating in several personalised outcomes.
Year 9	By the end of Year 9 students will have studied a diverse Art and Design curriculum related to the theme of 'Identity' while tackling concepts around physical, emotional and personal characteristics. Students will have learnt how to draw a self-portrait using proportions and contrasting light and shadow. Through the third year of Key Stage 3 students will have worked in a wide variety of media and materials through a range of artistic techniques and processes. Students will have learnt how to appreciate the working methods of an array of contemporary male and female artists as well as artists from the past who explore the human condition through the genre of portraiture. Students will have been able to explore ideas around their own life experiences culminating in several personalised outcomes.
Year 10	By the beginning of Year 10 students will have benefitted from a rigorous KS3 Art and Design curriculum studying Foundation skills within a wide variety of 2 and 3 dimensional disciplines. By the end of Year 10 students will have completed a Summer Bridging Unit, and 3 discreet course work projects. Through the first year of GCSE Art and Design students will have been introduced to a wide range of new artists, experimental drawing and painting techniques while utilising a rich array of media and materials. Students will be halfway through the completion of an A3 course work sketch book and a small A5 sketchbook for more personal work. Students will complete several 2D and 3D personal major final responses.
Year 11	By the end of Year 11 students will have completed Component 1: consisting of up 4 discreet projects culminating in 60% of the overall GCSE award. Students will also have completed Component 2: The Externally set assignment worth 40%. Students will have completed several A3, A4 and A5 sketchbooks and several major final responses as well as a 3,000-word essay linked to their art practise for Component 1.
Year 12	By the end of Year 12 students will have produced a Summer Bridging Unit, produced a teacher-led Abstract theme in the first Autumn term, begun their Personal Investigation at the beginning of the Spring Term worked on a series of major responses to their Personal Investigation Component 1 which is worth 60% of the overall 'A' Level award. Students will have produced a supporting 3,000-word essay. Students will be halfway the completion of an A3 course work sketch book and a small A5 sketchbook for more personal work. Students will complete several 2D and 3D personal major final responses.
Year 13	By the end of Year 13 students will have fully completed Component 1: The Personal Investigation worth 60% and Component 2: The externally set assignment worth 40%. Students will have completed several A3, A4 and A5 sketchbooks and several major final responses as well as a 3,000-word essay linked to their art practise for Component 1.

Click here to visualise the Art learner journey.

Key Features of learning

The key artistic features of learning in the Hayes Art curriculum are underpinned by challenge in content and in the delivery of an ambitious, broad and coherent curriculum which develops all pupils’ attributes. Our curriculum requires and encourages resilience, teamwork, self-discipline, empathy and creativity.  The Hayes Art department consists of 5 professionals who are committed, passionate, talented and consistent educators continually working to and adapting their strengths within their specialist disciplines of fine art, sculpture, photography and textiles.

What will you see in Art lessons?

Students will be working practically and often independently on 2D and 3D group and independent projects and tasks. Students will be seen discussing and critiquing their and others’ work and gaining inspiration and insight from art work around the walls on display by KS 3,4 and 5 students including course work and exam work.

What will you see in Art books?

You will see practical skill building tasks and progression of ideas. This will include experimentation and development of ideas; recording of observations with insightful annotations explaining findings.

Visual brainstorms and Venn diagrams documenting thoughts processes, artists similarities and differences in working methods. Front sheets displaying curriculum content; art trackers at the back of sketchbooks housing students’ assessment grades and art and design personal targets.

What formative assessment will you see in Art?

You will see Art trackers at KS4 and KS5 plotting formative and summative assessments against students’ minimal and aspirational target grades. You will see students and teachers’ targets for progression in ‘Art department Progress for target’ lists.

What is the department currently reading and why?

The Art department has a wide list of reading material specific to each teaching group and Key Stage from Hand built ceramics to The Encyclopaedia of Drawing Techniques.

Click here to access the Art department curriculum map.