Teaching Staff

The department has two large classrooms, a 6th form annex, Mac suite, numerous storage rooms, Art office and a purpose built ceramics area.

Aims

Art makes an important contribution to Newry High School by helping promote the aesthetic, creative and critical development and understanding of all pupils in the school. It also offers the pupil with interest and motivation to develop to their full potential in the field of visual arts.

Art & Design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile, and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding and responding to the world. Pupils use colour, form, texture, pattern and different materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think. Through Art & Design activities, they learn to make informed, valuable judgements and aesthetic and practical decisions becoming actively involved in shaping environments. They explore ideas and meanings in the work of artists, craftspeople and designers. They learn about the diverse roles and function of art, craft and design in contemporary life and in different times and cultures.  Understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts have the power to enrich our personal and public lives which is what our practices in the department will promote.

Diversity and individuality of expression is a key element of the Art Department at Newry High School. KS3 provides the opportunity to experience a wide range of skills and an adaptable attitude; GCSE & A level further refine and encourage pupils to work independently, yet further responsive to the advice and influence of their teachers and peers and the environment around them.

Many pupils continue pursue their studies at College and University.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3

The course at Key Stage 3 is designed to present a variety of experiences to enable pupils to develop knowledge, understanging and skills. Exploration of the visual world through observation and experiment, both in two and three dimension, forms a crucial part of the programmes of study. Sketchbooks are of great importance and the use of ICT is encouraged, both for information-gathering and for design purposes.

GCSE

GCSE Art & Design is a linear qualification, made up from two components: Component 1 (60%) and Component 2 (40%). All the assessment is completed at the end of the course.

The emphasis of the course is on drawing, and on understanding and applying the design process. It encourages students to engage with the creative and cultural industries.Building on the skills and capabilities developed at Key Stage 3.

Content

Content Summary

Assesssment

Weighing

Component 1

Part A:

Exploratory Portfolio

Core knowledge and understanding

Students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of formal visual elements through practical skills. They explore media, techniques and processes in at least two disciplines.

Controlled assessment:

Part A (25%)
50 marks

60%

Part B:

Core skills

Students become increasingly skilled at developing ideas, applying understanding of relevant practices, refining their ideas, recording as they go and using visual language critically.

Part B (35%)
70 marks

Internally assessed and externally moderated

Component 2

Externally Set Assignment

A stimulus paper is released in early January of the examination year (i.e. year of completion).

Students complete a minimum of 20 hours of preparatory work in response to the theme.

Students also complete a final outcome within a set 10 hour examination period.

Controlled assessment:

80 marks

Internally assessed and externally moderated

40%

Information taken from the CCEA GCSE Snapshot (2017)

[CCEA - Art & Design Student Guide]

Extra Curricular

Trips

Every year GCSE Art and Design students, along with interested Year 10 pupils visit CEA 'True Colours' exhibition. This showcases some of the finest work submitted from the previous year for the various levels of GCSE, AS and A2 Art.