Art at SRWA

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

The Art curriculum is structured to engage the students in developing their drawing and technical performance skills in a range of different media, with each topic drawing on influence from artists skilled in the style studied. Alongside this, students will develop analytical skills enabling them to talk about their work, and that of other Artists.

In Year 7, the curriculum is structured around the formal elements of art, which act as the bedrock of the subject and are essential for student’s development moving forward. Through a baseline assessment, teachers can gague where students are currently working at and what they have learnt at Key Stage 2.

In Year 8 students build on their understanding of the formal elements to gain vital practical skills and an understanding of the concepts and ideas behind Artists and Designers. By the time students reach Year 9 they will have a plethora of skills at their disposal and can now hone in on techniques, and experiment with new materials.

Year 9 will act as an Art foundation year preparing students for GCSE Art and Design. Students will build on all the practical and theoretical skills they have learnt in Key Stage 3 and be expected to come up with their own ideas and produce a well-rounded, well executed and meaningful GCSE Art Portfolio. In Autumn, Year 11 students will sit an Art Mock exam in order to prepare them for the real thing.

The Key Stage 5 curriculum is structured to prepare students for studying art at College and University. In Year 12, students will start with a term of rigorous practical skills, including life drawing, adding a sense of maturity and professionalism to the curriculum. As students move through Year 12 and into Year 13, students will be expected to produce their own personal investigation looking at their own artists and designers responding to a theme of their choice. Students will be independent and proficient artists by this point. Throughout Key Stage 5, students will have critiques with their teacher mirroring the structure of Further education. A visit to a university and drawing on the advice and personal experience of their teachers will go a long way in preparing students for studying Art at University level.

Creativity is critical thinking, to think beyond what we already know is vital for any student whatever their destination. Learning through, and about, the arts, enriches the experience of studying while at school as well as preparing students for life after school. Studying Art at Sir Robert Woodard Academy will help our students express themselves, build confidence and create a sense of individual identity.
 

Our curriculum ensures learners are ready for the next steps, whether that is studying an art and design based subject at university or going into the world of work.  Students are taught transferable skills and how to be creative problem solvers.  Our extra curriculum provision enables students to engage with art in the community.

At  KS3 our art  club allows students to gain confidence across a series of projects and competitions from the local area including the annual Sea of Lights parade in Lancing and the Worthing Children's parade. We also enter competition artwork for the South of England Show and have enjoyed winning success over the past years.

At KS4 the art department has close links with Creative Waves, which is a community art movement in Worthing. They provide visiting artists to lead workshops with our students where they can create individual artwork specifically for the local community.

Finally, at KS5 we have close links with the University of Brighton and “Photoworks”. These organisations provide workshops and projects with visiting lecturers where students can gain a real understanding of what it is like to have a creative occupation.
 

With the Arts and Culture sector growing year on year in the UK contributing £10.8billion annually and with over 363,700 jobs there’s never been a better time to study art!