Art
Aims
It is our intention that art education at QEGS should be as wide an experience as possible for every pupil. Art at QEGS is concerned with acquiring practical skills, learning about aesthetics, perception, encouraging expression, gaining critical, historical and cultural awareness and developing an understanding of concepts and ideas.
Our aim is for pupils to:
- Develop a practical understanding of different materials and techniques.
- Gain confidence in communication and self-expression.
- Develop independent, creative thinking skills.
- Gain critical and contextual understanding through exploring art and artists.
- Pioneer, explore, invent and experiment.
Curriculum
Years 1-3
All pupils are taught for one double period per cycle, in small class sizes (maximum of 15 pupils). Pupils explore and develop their understanding of art history, different materials and techniques in 2D, 3D and digital media.
Years 4-5
GCSE – Art and Design, Fine Art (Edexcel 2FAO1)
The course is split into two units. Unit one consists of a personal portfolio of work which has a 60% weighting of the overall qualification. Unit two is the externally set assignment which has a weighting of 40%. Both units are internally assessed and externally standardised.
Sixth Form
AS/A2 GCE – Art and Design, Fine Art (Edexcel 8/9FAO1)
The full A Level qualification is split into four units, two at AS and two at A2 
level. At both levels there is a portfolio unit and an externally set assignment. Pupils are taught to explore and demonstrate an understanding of the formal elements and also the work of artists past and present, as well as to use visual language to describe their own thoughts and ideas.
Accommodation
The Art Department is located in Brooklands, which is situated between Hartley House and Singleton House. There are four large well-equipped studios, one of which is a designated A level art studio. All of the studios are set around a central courtyard, which allows a fluid approach to teaching and learning.
Resources
The department explores a wide range of art disciplines such as drawing, painting, printmaking, digital media and sculpture and is therefore well equipped and regularly replenished with a variety of consumable materials. There is also a collection of specialist books and digital resources within the department for the pupils to use as a research tool and an excellent collection housed in the main school library.
The department houses its own PCs, digital projector, A3 scanner and A4/A3 printer and digital SLR camera. The department houses a darkroom and intaglio printing press. Good use is also made of the ICT facilities within the school and pupils are able to develop their work using art software such as Adobe Photoshop CS, Paint Shop Pro 8 and Corel Suite.
Extra Curricular
A rich programme of out-of-hours learning opportunities is available for each year group. Art clubs are offered at lunch times for years 1-3 and after school sessions for GCSE and A level pupils. Personal tutorials are offered during lunchtimes and art history sessions are run once per cycle. Life drawing classes are also run for Sixth Form pupils after school during the Trinity term.
There is a variety of additional learning opportunities such as trips to galleries/places of cultural interest both within the UK and Europe; visiting artists; and regular exhibitions of our students’ work both in school and within the north-west.
