Homework is usually given weekly, and research is a continuous part of a project. The art room is open every lunch-time during the lunch break four times a week and students can use this time to continue their work in the class. Integral to the course is each student’s sketchbook and they should view these as visual diaries in which they record ideas and experiences.

Testing and Assessment In Art assessment is an ongoing process, which involves reflection and discussion. This assessment may take place at times informally during a lesson. But at the beginning of Year 7 there is a formal baseline-assessment after the Diagnostic unit of work. This is followed by projects, which are evaluated according to the National Curriculum levels and supported by homework that is monitored.  Students evaluate their progress throughout the key stage. Further assessment takes place formally by the teacher twice during the course of the year. There is also a peer assessment that takes place in every year group. There is also a set drawing exam at the end of each year to evaluate further progress.

Text Books If any text book were to be prescribed for the art course it would surely have to be Ernst Gombrich’s comprehensive ‘The Story of Art’?  However, the dynamic nature of art in our contemporary culture makes even this prescription impossible.  Students are required to enhance their understanding and appreciation of this subject by reading extensively about skills, techniques, methods and processes.

How Parents Can Help Art comes alive by visiting galleries and there are also so many artist studios to visit in the area!  Students should make every effort to find out about practising artists, craftsmen & designers in the area.
Parents can keep an eye on progress through the course by reading the self-evaluation and teacher assessment sheets given to the students.  There is also a copy of the National Curriculum Levels in each student’s art book.  Students should also have a copy of the National Curriculum levels pasted in their sketchbooks. 

their imaginative compositions into intelligent computer outcomes. Next, the students make Powerpoint presentations of their work evaluating their outcomes and discuss their ideas.  This involves using Adobe Photoshop and investigating alternative responses. A surrealist imaginative sculpture is then developed further as an inspiration to the research on Surrealism.   There is a short project, which is aimed at exploring a number of materials and developing a tactile ‘Still-life’ outcome.  There is an emphasis on the ability to work from ideas and the imagination and most importantly first-hand experiences throughout Year 8.  In the final project a number of modern art movements are studied – the ‘Isms’ in depth and students respond to these by exploring media, processes and techniques in a group project.  The emphasis is on developing critical contextual skills and the ability to compare and to relate various styles.

Year 9
Me and My Environment
* The Lancaster environment
Me - Myself - I' a portrait outcome with a mixed media textiles final piece.
The Year 9 students have two projects.  They begin the year by visiting the nearby picturesque Lancaster where they record a personal journey in a visual diary This theme is followed throughout the year where students explore a GCSE coursework approach in sketchbooks.  The aim is to develop an appreciation for the local environment and their identity, time and culture.  Students will research artists independently and work with a local practicing artist in Lancashire. Students will select from a range of materials, techniques and processes and develop a number of observational studies and the emphasis is on learning to paint in a number of styles. The students complete a portrait study of themselves on a large scale.  In the second project students continue to record from direct observation and begin to engage with contemporary art whilst developing their experience in mixed- media and there is a cross-curricula link where the students work with English on their ‘Self-identity’ theme and begin to apply this autonomously to a personal fabric outcome.

KS3 Curriculum
Year 7

Diagnostic
* Animation storyboard
* Gargoyles
* Medieval Life
The course is divided into four sections.  Initially we remind students of the formal elements of art and introduce core skills to consolidate the understanding processes and methods, including drawing skills when exploring and communicating ideas and making images.  Next, the students will animate a story based on well-known works of art using new technologies and critical studies. They use Adobe Photoshop and Windows Photostory and work in groups and in the end each student makes their own independent movie based on their photo manipulations. Thirdly, an appreciation of the local environment and the remnants of our historical past are brought to life with fun ceramic ‘gargoyles’. Finally students will depict the daily lives in medieval times and make a large creative fabric collage-like frieze.  The aim of this project is to learn about the theory of colour and to develop painting skills and students work collaboratively and take on roles within the creative process.

Year 8
*Surrealism Paintings and Computer digital responses
* A surrealist sculpture
* A mixed media Still-life project
* Modern movements
In Year 8 the theme Surrealism is sustained through a number of tasks. Students investigate this broad topic by designing imaginative compositions and the emphasis is on developing a technical painting with depth and three dimensional forms, while exploring their own thoughts andfeelings associated with their idea.  Students then further develop