Art
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
Henry Ward Beecher
At Verulam, Art is an opportunity to celebrate personal expression using a range of media.
Art enhances fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills, lateral thinking, complex analysis and critical thinking skills. It also provides opportunities for personal expression, encourages imagination, sensitivity and conceptual thought. At Verulam, we believe that this is vital so that students develop the ability to think creatively and thrive in tomorrow’s world.
We are currently the only school in the country to provide students with opportunities to engage in ground-breaking new technology, Vortic VR, enriching their experience of Art. Our students are able to engage with over 150 galleries and 30 museum collections in specially curated virtual exhibitions, and enjoy immersive virtual exhibitions from any location through an Oculus VR headset.
In addition, students’ creativity is developed even further as they learn how to curate – choosing exhibition spaces, considering lighting, framing choices, pedestals etc. to stage virtual exhibitions of their own pieces within the Vortic platform.
Key Stage 3
Pupils taught on a rotation programme with Design Technology. All pupils have an intense 13-week course in Art every year.
Informative years developing ideas, understanding new techniques and use of a range of media, learning about contemporary and historical artists. This solid foundation introduces Art to pupils giving them a flavour of Art at GCSE.
Yr 7 – Pop Art – Basic colour theory, mono-printing and clay sculpting.
Yr 8 – Selfies – Self portraits – proportion, development of colour theory, printmaking skills.
Yr 9 – ‘A different point of view’ – Photography, photo editing.
Assessment
Assessments are made three times each year based on homework, classwork and final drawing exam.
Home Learning
Homework is set every week to support their classwork.
Extra-curricular enrichment
Year 10 Trip – Curwen printing studios in Cambridge
Year 11 Trip – National Portrait Gallery & Royal Academy
Year 12 & 13 Trip – Paris Trip (starts 2020!)
Stretch & Challenge
ECCO – Art Club
Wednesday lunchtime – KS3.
Art intervention
After school – KS4 & 5 on Tuesday – opportunity to strengthen and enrich coursework.
Life drawing classes
After school – Yr 13 (starts mid-Autumn term).
Art Celebration Shows
KS3 – End of each rotation.
KS4 – End of year.
Where can Art take you?
Career opportunities: Practising artist, architect, graphic designer, fashion designer, illustrator, teacher, photographer, web page designer, model maker, make-up artist
Where have Verulam ex-students continued their studies? To name a few, Architcture at Russell group universities, Graphics degree course at Central St. Martins, London.
How parents can support their child’s learning?
Show an interest in your child’s creations, encourage them, praise their efforts.
Take them to see local Art shows. Join the Tate museum for unlimited access to all their galleries over a whole year. Take them to see the street art in London.
Useful links
Instagram – @verulamart
