Art and Textiles

Welcome to the Art and Design Department

We are a happy and creative bunch of teachers with varying skills and talents in a host of disciplines; drawing, painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and photography. We are passionate about what we teach and how we deliver. Our department is not huge but it is perfectly formed with well organised rooms, good resources and tempting materials, in addition to library of books, both contemporary and historic that are used for inspiring and learning about the history of art and we also subscribe to three bi-monthly magazines.

Pupils who have studied GCSE Art/Textiles often choose to expand upon their knowledge in the Sixth Form and study one of the following 'A' level qualifications: Art, Craft and Design; Textiles; or Three-Dimensional Design. At this stage pupils have a clear idea which discipline would suit them and their needs. However there are occasions when we allow a pupil to do an 'A' level in art without them having achieved a GCSE first, if they show an innate skill and a passion for the subject. We use AQA as our examination board and we are familiar with their approach. The new specifications at 'A' level were introduced in September 2008. AQA have designed the new specifications to be more 'user' friendly and to allow for greater individual development without too many constraints. At 'AS' level pupils do a Portfolio unit and an Externally Set Assignment and at 'A2' level pupils do a Personal Investigation and an Externally Set Assignment.

To aid their artistic development we run the occasional educational trip to London or to local museums to see art exhibitions. We run Saturday workshops in the Lent term and every other year we will take the pupils on educational trips abroad.

Take a look at the Art and Design & Technology Exhibition for 2012 via our video, produced by two Lower Sixth pupils.