Art & Design

Art is a vehicle that conveys a multi-cultural world, without barriers or prejudice, contributing to an unbiased learning experience.

The Art Department aims to provide pupils with an environment that encourages pupils to express their ideas and insights of the world around them, increasing confidence and self-awareness.

Whilst Arts College status no longer exists at Northgate we still continue with the many benefits it has engendered to our school, not least the formation of a new Design Department, created through the merging of Art & Design and Design & Technology. Whilst each subject maintains its own curriculum identity, the sharing of knowledge, skills, expertise and resources is enabling the provision of a unique educational experience for Northgate pupils. Central to this experience is the development of ‘creativity’ both as a means of expression and as a fundamental ingredient of innovation.

Lower School (Years 7-9)

During Key Stage 3 pupils develop their creativity and imagination through sustained activities, helping to build on and improve their practical and critical skills. Teaching includes investigating and making, exploring and developing ideas, evaluating and developing work.

During the Key Stage, pupils are taught knowledge, skills and understanding through:

Exploring a range of starting points for practical work including themselves, their experiences and natural and made objects and environments.
Working on their own, and collaborating with others, on projects in two and three dimensions and on different scales.
Using a range of materials and processes.
Investigating art, craft and design in the locality, in a variety of genres, styles and traditions, and from a range of historical, social and cultural contexts.

Upper School (Years 10-11)

GCSE Art and Design AQA

The aims of the course are to develop creative and imaginative powers, and the practical skills for communicating and expressing ideas, feelings and meaning in art, craft and design. This is a course where pupils are required to produce work and explore two or more of the following areas listed:

Fine Art: painting, mixed media, sculpture, land art, installation, printmaking, lens-based and/or light-based media: film, animation, video and photography
Graphic Communication: illustration, advertising, packaging design, design for print, communication graphics, computer graphics, multimedia, web design, lens-based and/or light-based media: film, animation, video and photography
Textile Design: fashion and costume, printed and/or dyed fabrics and materials, domestic textiles, constructed and/or stitched and/or embellished textiles
Three-Dimensional Design: Ceramics, sculpture, installation, jewellery, body adornment, exhibition design, design for theatre, television and film, interior design, product design, environmental art and design, and architectural design
Photography: lens-based and light-based media including theme-based photography (portrait, landscape, still-life, reportage), documentary photography, photo-journalism, narrative photography, experimental imagery, photographic installation, new media practice, video, television and film.

Through the use of project themes pupils will demonstrate and develop investigative, analytical, experimental and interpretative capabilities, aesthetic understanding and critical skills.

The Art and Design GCSE is a full course of two years comprising two components:

Unit 1. Coursework 60% Unit 2. Controlled test 40%

GCSE Applied Art and Design AQA

The aims of the course are to provide a broad education as a foundation both for training leading to employment and for further and higher education in Art and Design. The focus of the course is based mainly on work-related learning. Pupils will be taught some of the skills they will need in the work place or in further education. Through the use of project themes pupils will explore materials, techniques and technology. Pupils will develop their creative understanding and produce a varied and exciting range of final products. Examples of project themes are: ceramics, costume, fashion, furniture, gardens, interiors, illustration, jewellery, packaging, posters, shoes, t-shirts, exhibition and display work and design for theatre, film and television.

The GCSE Vocational course is a full course of two years comprising two components:

Unit 1. Coursework 60% Unit 2. Controlled test 40%

Curriculum Maps

Art and Design – Year 10
Art and Design – Year 11

Facilities

The Department is continually developing its facilities and resources to meet the needs of pupils and has benefited recently from the Arts College status. We currently have:

1 x Graphics Studio

2 x Art Rooms

Ceramics Facilities

1 x Food Technology Room

1 x ICT Suite

1 x Photographic Darkroom

3 x Multi-media Workshops

Northgate Exhibition Centre

Extra-Curricular Activities

The Department is committed to extending and enriching all pupils’ experiences within the broad field of ‘design’. In addition to the regular lunchtime and after-school clubs, we have numerous extra-curricular events throughout the year. Practising artists, designers and museums are drawn upon to run workshops and activity days, and upper school pupils broaden their understanding of the world of design through a variety of visits.