Art and design at TLA offers opportunities to expand students' creative thinking skills through research, analytical investigations of artists, art movements, cultures and contextual sources, and by covering a range of styles, genres, classical and contemporary works of art. Students are encouraged to explore meaning, influences, context and intent through a range of styles and techniques. This allows them to grow an appreciation for the arts and the role it plays in the creative industries that can enrich our lives.

The curriculum is sequenced to increase the level of demand in students’ critical and analytical understanding of practitioners’ work as well as the skills required to experiment and develop their ideas through a range of media. We support students with expanding their practical skills across a broad range of media, such as 3D, ceramics, printmaking, painting, drawing, photography and digital art. Students have opportunities to use industry standard art software programs as well as a wide range of tools to explore techniques. We aim to build students' confidence with problem solving skills as they plan and develop independent outcomes within a supportive learning environment. We believe, like Picasso said, ‘every child is an artist’. Art can take on many forms and we aim to celebrate and nurture the ideas students produce, making it an inclusive subject. Each key stage is sequenced to equip students with the skills and understanding needed for success at the next key stage, into further study or the world of work.

Year 7 will explore and experiment with techniques of creating their own portraits, from realistic, to abstract and make meaningful representations of themselves. Students will also be asked to critique different artists’ techniques and ideas. Students will learn about and respond to the work of artists/designers inspired by the sea. They will explore colour mixing and improving their designing/planning skills. Students will explore a design brief and create outcomes, inspired by the seaside artists studied, the techniques developed and their own ideas for advertising their local coastal area.

Year 8 will critique artists’ techniques and ideas. There will be opportunities to explore and experiment with how to create realistic direct observation drawings, exploring techniques with pen and pencil to then exploring more modern art techniques and ideas. Students will gain opportunities to develop their understanding and use of line, tone, colour, shape and space. Students will have opportunities to explore character design, which leads into constructing their own design and to work on a design brief, developing their own ideas for young people that promotes awareness of either LGBTQ+, tolerance or healthy eating.

Year 9 will critique artists and designers from the Pop Art movement. There will be opportunities to explore and experiment with creating art that communicates a message or era of time, through creating meaningful ideas and using art media, such as printing and clay, to develop outcomes towards our art pathways.

They will examine artists/ designers who are inspired by a cultural celebration and imagery around the festival. They will explore combining their understanding of the Day of the Dead with their own ideas towards developing their graphic skills of creating an advertising product, such as a poster for Día de Muertos, developing their understanding of composition and making art for a purpose. 

During KS4 students will be creating two coursework projects which make up 60% of their GCSE and one exam project worth 40%, which concludes with a 10 hour practical exam to make their final outcomes.

Component 1 is made up of two projects. Students will be asked to study and explore insects, birds, creatures, plants and nature found wild in Britain through a variety of media. They will critically examine and analyse the work of artists/ designers. They will respond to a design brief which requires them to design and make art and products for a National Trust shop. There will be opportunities to experiment with textiles, illustration, painting, lino printing and photography within this project. In the second project they explore the theme ‘Identity’ through a choice of portraiture drawing and painting or 3D sculpture. There will be opportunities to draw, paint, use photography, ceramics, wire and modroc. Students will be exploring contemporary artists, designers, illustrators and developing their ideas through a range of media and create projects that communicate their ideas towards their outcomes.

AQA Art and Design A-level in Art Craft and Design, Fine Art, Textiles, Graphics or 3D.

AQA Art and Design A-level in Photography. (see the Photography link for further information).  

In KS5 art and design students start by experiencing a range of artwork shops, where they will experience different techniques, through a range of media and develop skills for developing their own ideas. They embark on an extended project of a theme and direction of their choice. This creates their own personal investigation project for their coursework element worth 60% of their ‘A’ level grade. At the start of February in year13 students start their exam project in which they investigate, experiment and explore ideas and create art. It concludes with a 15 hour exam where they complete a final series of artworks for their project.

AQA GCSE Art and Design

• Art, craft and design

• Three Dimensional Design (view Design technology for further information).

AQA ‘A’ Level Art & Design.

• Art, Craft & Design or Fine art.

• Photography (view Photography for further information).

Please click here for subject contacts