Art 

Introduction

Art and Design occupies an important place within the School Curriculum providing a path to visual literacy and the language of art, and nurturing the creative skills, imagination and industry needed to enable pupils to produce their own work in a visual form.

The Department aims to develop pupils’ confidence and capacity to enjoy and understand the subject throughout their time at Rishworth.  Pupils’ work is regularly displayed in the Art Room and there is a major annual exhibition of examination work to which parents and staff are invited.  Exhibitions of artwork are also arranged for Open Events. Students are encouraged to return to the Department in their own time to continue coursework and they may often find themselves working alongside pupils of different ages.

The Department insists on high standards, and pupils are expected to perform at the highest level of which they are capable.  Consequently, examination results at GCSE and A Level are high.

Art and Design at Rishworth

Art and Design is taught throughout the School, from Year 7 to AS and A Level.

Coursework at all levels involves an opportunity for pupils to work in different areas such as painting, graphics, textiles and three-dimensional studies.

Students are encouraged to express and develop their own ideas from a common starting point. This approach allows them to work with a variety of materials, often within the same project.

At GCSE pupils undertake two coursework assignments which account for 60% of the final mark. One assignment, set by the Examination Board, to be completed in ten hours of supervised time, accounts for the remaining 40% of the mark.

At AS Level, the Department follows the AQA Art, Craft and Design syllabus. Two units of work are undertaken, each accounting for 50% of the total AS mark (25% of A Level mark).

Unit 1 is developed from a theme set by the Department, whilst Unit 2 is an Externally Assessed Assignment set by the Examination Board.

Those pupils wishing to achieve a full Art and Design A Level will follow the A2 course in the Upper Sixth. This again consists of two units: Unit 3 is a Personal Investigation developed by the pupil and supported by a 1,000 – 3,000 word essay/journal. Unit 4 is an Externally Assessed Assignment set by the Board culminating in a 15hrs supervised examination. Each of these units account for 25% of the A Level.

Many of those pupils who study Art and Design at A Level take up places on Art Foundation Courses.

Outside the classroom

We organise visits to galleries and pupils' work is regularly displayed throughout the School.