Art & Design at Helenswood School
Key Stage 3 Art & Design
We aim for all of our students to leave Key Stage 3 with a strong foundation of skills and understanding. We deliver projects that teach the formal elements of Art and Design through the study of artists from different times and cultures and through different medium and techniques. We strive to install a great sense of confidence in students’ artistic and creative abilities and use of a variety of scale and materials and processes through exciting lessons
Student leave key stage 3 with ability to cope with the demands of Art and Design at GCSE.
Year 7 – Setting a foundation
Through the thorough understanding of the formal elements of Art and Design (line, tone, shape, form, colour and texture); through a variety of media including drawing, 
painting, printmaking, collage and 3-D. Artists studied include Wassily Kandinsky, Vincent Van Gogh, Howard Hodgkin and Hundertwasser.
Year 8 – Building on the skills learnt in year 7
Through developing a more in depth understanding of artistic movements and processes including Cubism and Expressionism. Artists studied include Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch,
Year 9 – Further application of skills learnt previously and new techniques and processes investigated
Through techniques such as 3-D construction using wire, accurate self portraiture and reduction printing. Artists considered include, Gustav Klimt, Lucian Freud, Andy Warhol
Key Stage 4 GCSE
At KS4 we follow the AQA exam board specification and offer 3 disciplines: Fine Art, Photography and Textiles.
Currently the coursework unit themes are as follows:
Fine Art – Yr 10 Pop Art and Yr 11 Young British Artists
Photography – Yr 10 Local Environment and Yr 11 Portraiture
Textiles – Yr 10 Natural Forms Yr 11 The Punk movement
Students will have 3 lessons per week plus lunch times and after school sessions.
The course weighting is: 60% coursework, 40% exam with a 10 hour final exam.
Key Stage 5 GCE
At KS5 we follow the AQA exam board specifications and students have the opportunity to undertake AS and A2 level in Fine Art and Art Textiles.
The AS consists of 2 units:
Unit 1: Portfolio unit
Unit 2: exam unit with a 5 hour exam.
The A2 consists of 2 units:
Unit 1: question based unit
Unit 2: exam unit with a 15 hours exam
In our Department expect to find/discover: exciting artists, passionate teachers who are excited about all things arty (and are practicing artists, if we ever get the time!), excellent quality materials, lots of techniques and processes, photography studio, kiln, printing press, a nice room overlooking the town, trip(s) up to London galleries and lots more.
