Art and Photography Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact 

 

Intent:  Everywhere you turn there is evidence of Artistic creation that is developed to serve a purpose. At Tenison’s our aim in the department is to appreciate and nurture this across the key stages. We have a varied curriculum that allows us to develop, deepen and build on key skills from Key Stage 2, all the way through to Key Stage 5.  

 

At Key Stage 3, we begin with the Art foundation skills. In Year 7 they focus on a Portraiture Project which allows them to develop their observational study understanding, specifically looking at proportion, tone and accuracy. We go back to basics and build upon this throughout the year. In Year 8 we explore print making skills as well as perspective and composition. Pupils build on their skill set and are introduced to incorporating a concept into their work. In Year 9 they build on their understanding of how to create Art with a meaning in their Human Rights project. They also learn new skills such as stop motion animation and stencilling. 

 

In GCSE Art and Design, pupils start with a Skills Building project, in this they further develop their core drawing skills as well as being introduced to various painting techniques and how to successfully use chalk. After this they do a variety of projects based around a particular theme that supports the four Assessment Objectives. Pupils then move onto their exam project where they choose between a selection of themes provided for them by the exam board. Pupils produce a project based on this and then sit a 10-hour exam where they create a final piece. 60% of their final mark is coursework and 40% is exam. 

 

In A Level, students can study Art and Design further. In Art and Design, they start the year with a variety of mini projects designed to further refine their skills. They explore, portraiture, sculpture, collage, printmaking and illustration. After this, students start their Personal Investigation which is 60% of their final grade. They continue this until February of Year 13 where they start their exam project based on a brief provided by the exam board. They will then sit a 15-hour exam to create a final piece. This is worth 40% of the A Level. 

 

At Archbishop Tenison’s we offer also GCSE, A Level and AS Photography, following the Eduqas specification. We want our students to be able to use Photography to express themselves. You don't create a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography to all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved. As a department we believe that, as photographers, pupils learn several transferrable skills that will help them in later life. These include communication, organisation and also problem-solving skills. 

 

In GCSE Photography, pupils start with a Skills Building project, in this they learn a variety of new techniques to set them up for the rest of the GCSE. After this they do a variety of projects based around a particular theme that supports the four Assessment Objectives. Pupils then move onto their exam project where they choose between a selection of themes provided for them by the exam board. Pupils produce a project based on this and then sit a 10-hour exam where they create a final piece. 60% of their final mark is coursework and 40% is exam. 

 

 In A Level Photography, students are introduced to the course with a variety of mini projects including ‘The Language of Photography’, ‘Mundane is Beautiful’ and ‘Fashion Photography’. Within these projects we cover; camera technique workshops, studio lighting workshops, using gels, Photoshop workshops and also paper manipulation workshops. After this, AS pupils will create a Personal Creative Enquiry that will be 100% of their AS grade. 

Many students decide to do the full A Level and within this, A Level students start their ‘Personal Investigation’ which is 60% of their final grade. They continue this until February of Year 13 where they start their exam project based on a brief provided by the exam board. They will then sit a 15-hour exam to create a final piece. This is worth 40% of the A Level. 

 

Implementation: Collaborative curriculum planning is imbedded into our department; we are a small team of subject specialists, and we work together to ensure a rich and engaging curriculum is provided. Our department are continually reviewing and developing schemes of work to ensure an enriching sequence of lessons that supports maximum progression.   

 

Our current Art and Photography curriculum is designed to not only teach our pupils the basic skills but also for these skills to be nurtured and to gradually deepen. Particularly in Key Stage 3, we have worked hard to ensure that a wide range of mediums, materials and techniques are explored and developed through each year. We aim to cement a foundation that will support our pupils as they enter the GCSE. 

In Photography, we understand that many come to study the subject for the first time, both in GCSE and if they are an external student arriving in Year 12, we have worked hard to ensure they get the chance to explore a range of topics that will widen their practical and theoretical understanding.  

 

Our aim is for pupils and students to understand the journey and exactly why they are doing what they are doing. We also provide opportunities to visit galleries, take part in internal and external workshops as well as getting the chance to meet and listen to industry professionals about their journey into creating a career out of photography. 

 

We also aim to give our GCSE pupils and A Level students a clear understanding of the Assessment Objectives they will be marked against. Our aim is for pupils and students to understand the journey and exactly why they are doing what they are doing. 

 

Impact: It is important to our department that both pupils and students leave the school having been given a rich curriculum that has supported them in developing their creativity and problem-solving skills. GCSE Art and Design and GCSE Photography continues to do well in Tenison’s, contributing positively to the Progress 8 scores each year. A Level Art and A Level Photography also contributes positively to the schools results each year. The Art and Photography department continuously works hard to be a subject that pupils and students enjoy and year on year we see a variety of students go on to study an Arts based course at university. 

 

At Archbishop Tenison’s we believe the purpose of Christian education is to reach our full stature as human beings, no longer children “tossed to and fro by the waves”, but rather “growing up in every way … into Christ” as members of his body, in which each part makes a vital contribution to the whole (Ephesians 4: 14-16).  

 

In the Art and Photography department we focus on this by promoting a strong sense of moral values where there is an understanding of different religions, cultures and ethnic origins. We support the importance of a Christian community within our classrooms. This becomes especially important when we explore themes and concepts that directly reflect the world we live in. Some examples of this are conveyed within our Year 9 ‘Human Rights’ scheme of work as well as the exploration of ‘Our World’ in GCSE Art in Year 10. In Photography, an example of this is conveyed within our Year 11 ‘The Human Condition’ scheme of work within GCSE Photography. 

 

 Year 7 Art 

• Skills building introduction to Art – looking at weight of line, continuous line drawing, observation, tone, shading on objects. 

• Portraiture project – looking at the works of Chuck Close, Chris Ofili, Henri Matisse, David Hockney, Picasso 

• Tonal portrait drawings using grid method, mark making portraits, A3 tonal self-portraits, 

• Colour theory – looking at the works of Paul Cezanne, Wassily Kandinsky, Sonia Delaunay  

 

Year 8 Art 

• Environments – Croydon / The Environment Around Us / The Ocean / Insects 

• Looking at the works of David Hockney, Courtney Mattison, Rosalind Monks 

• Landscape Photography /One-point perspective / two-point perspective / drawing tonal cityscapes 

• Printing using their own images as reference – mono printing, lino printing 

• Collage and Mixed media pieces 

• Clay Coral pieces 

• Revisiting colour theory looking at landscapes - David Hockney and Van Gogh 

 

Year 9 Art 

• Human Rights Project – exploring historic movements and what’s going on currently in the world around us. Creating artwork with a strong message. 

• Looking at the works of Bisa Butler, Kehinde Wiley, Shephard Fairey, Chris Ofili, Banksy, Ricardo Levin Morales, Bob and Roberta Smith 

• Textiles, stitching, colour portraiture, painting, mixed media, stencilling. 

• A3 textiles colour portrait inspired by Bisa Butler including pattern and a portrait of their icon. 

• Stencil designs based on the work of Shepard Fairey based on raising awareness of a human right. 

 

 

Eduqas GCSE Art and Design 

Portfolio: (60%) 

 

• Project 1: Skills building/introduction to GCSE Art. Looking at the works of Roy Lichtenstein, Michael Craig Martin, Lisa Milroy, Patrick Caulfield. Large work: A1 portrait, two A2 chalk pieces, A1 Michael Craig Martin inspired painting 

 

• Project 2: Our World. Looking at the works of Yayoi Kusama, Peter Kennard, Lynn Skordal, Stephanie Ledoux, then pupils will have a wide variety of Artist’s to choose from depending on their own taste/direction of the project. Large work: A2 Yayoi Kusama piece, A1 collage, Lino print, A1 Cultural portrait, independent large piece in any medium. 

 

 

• The latter of the project is self-directed. Pupils will be given a wide variety of Artists they could explore and choose from. Pupils will a minimum of 2 large pieces for this project. One will be completed during the MOCK exam where pupils will get 10 hours to create a pre-planned large piece.  

 

Exam (40%) 

 

• Externally set assignment. Pupils will have a variety of themes to choose from and will create a developed self-directed project based on one of those themes. 

 

• Pupils will sit a 10 hour exam over two days to create their final piece for their externally set assignment. 

 

 

Eduqas GCSE Photography 

Portfolio: (60%) 

Project 1: Skills building/introduction to GCSE Photography. Looking at cyanotypes, aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, editing techniques, the formal elements. Pupils will produce a set of final images to support this project 

Project 2: Fragments. Looking at the works of Rankin, Rosanna Jones, Jean Faucher, Greg Sands, Mana Morimoto, Hannah Hoch, Anastasia Savinova then pupils will have a wide variety of Photographic Artist’s to choose from depending on their own taste/direction of the project. Large work: A2 Yayoi Kusama piece, A1 collage, Lino print, A1 Cultural portrait, independent large piece in any medium. 

Project 3: The Human Condition. This project is self-directed. Pupils will be given a wide variety of Photographic Artists they could explore and choose from. Pupils will do a variety of photoshoots and will have a minimum of two collection sets of final imagery. One will be done during the MOCK exam where pupils will get 10 hours to create a pre-planned large piece.  

Exam (40%) 

Externally set assignment. Pupils will have a variety of themes to choose from and will create a developed self-directed project based on one of those themes. Pupils will sit a 10 hour exam over two days to create their final piece for their externally set assignment. 

Eduqas: A Level Art and Design 

 

Portfolio (60%) 

 

• Students will undertake a series of workshops to develop, build on and refine their current skill set as well as being introduced to new materials and techniques. Year 12 begins with a series of mini projects. The projects are based around portraiture, painting, sculpture, collage, mixed media and printing. Students will explore threshold concepts adjacently to this to discover who they are as individual Artists.  

 

• Students will then progress onto creating their own Personal Investigation further on in the year which will run through until January of Year 13. 

 

Externally Set Assignment (40%) 

 

• Externally set assignment. Students will have a variety of themes to choose from and will create a developed self-directed project based on one of those themes. Students will sit a 15 hour exam over three days to create their final piece for their externally set assignment. 

 

Eduqas A Level Photography 

Portfolio (60%) 

Students will undertake a series of workshops that go back basics. They will initially focus on the ‘Language of Photography’ to support this. Then, students will look at further mini projects; from exploring the mundane to typologies to fashion and also film. A wide variety of skills will be explored including camera techniques, Photoshop, moving image, digital and paper manipulation and studio lighting. Students will the progress on to create their own ‘personal investigation’. 

Externally Set Assignment (40%) 

Students will have a variety of themes to choose from and will create a developed self-directed project based on one of those themes. Students will sit a 15-hour exam over three days to create their final piece for their externally set assignment. There is the option to take this subject as an AS Level or a full A Level course. 

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