Art, Design and Technology Faculty

Art, Design and Technology Faculty

The Art, Design, and Technology Faculty at Brinsworth Academy encompasses Art & Design including Photography and Textiles, Design & Technology, and Construction. Our Faculty strives to ensure each student, at each key stage, is given the opportunity to discover and hone their creative identity and skills with confidence.

Art, Design and Technology shapes the past, present, and future of our world and our vision is to inspire and empower our students to imagine, enquire and communicate, develop rigorous technical and practical skills, and respond creatively.

Ours students learn a wide variety of transferable skills including:

  • Critical thinking skills and creative problem solving
  • Practical and technical skills across a wide range of materials and processes
  • Communication skills both verbal and written to analyse, interpret, express, apply, explain and evaluate
  • Independence, organization, resilience, and responsibility
  • Respect and understanding of different cultures, artists, craftspeople and designers.

We have 7 teaching staff who are dedicated to enabling our students to Achieve Excellence and in ensuring that every student is thoroughly prepared for the next step in their education.

Art & Design

“Art is the most intense mode of self-expression and individualism that the World has ever known.” Oscar Wilde

We aim to provide students with a wide range of technical skills and confidence at Key Stage 3, to prepare them for studying at GCSE. Students really enjoy the independent choice of theme at Key Stage 4 and 5, and the diversity of our curriculum is a strength of our department. Our students are given the opportunity to create ambitious, large scale practical outcomes – our students rise to the challenge, and, as a result we have exciting and individual creative responses at both GCSE and A-Level.

Within our Faculty we have a spacious artists’ studio and several large teaching rooms to facilitate painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, 3D sculpture, textiles, and graphic work. We also have IT facilities for digital photography and a large photographic darkroom.

Year Group Topics Covered in Art & Design

Our KS3

YEAR 7

The Formal Elements of Art – Organic Form

Students will explore:

  • Line, texture, tone, form and colour.
  • Drawing from observation and how to draw in proportion.
  • Using pencil and pen to create tone and texture.
  • Creating form using coloured pencil crayon.
  • Printmaking skills – etching.
  • The work of artists.
  • Basic digital photography.

The Formal Elements of Art – Colour

Students will explore:

  • Observational and Contextual recording skills.
  • Basic colour theory and colour mixing skills using paint.
  • Warm and cool colour theory and impasto painting skills.
  • How artists use colour to create depth in their work.
  • Clay skills: slab construction, joining clay, texture and glazing.

 

Masks – Mixed media and 3D modelling

Students will explore:

  • Mixed media observational studies, experimentation and collage techniques.
  • The work of artists and cultures from around the world.
  • Designing skills through drawing and annotation.
  • 3D modelling using papier mache and card construction to create a personal response.

Only One You – Collaborative project with Ethics

Students will explore:

  • Identity and self-expression and how this can be communicated visually.
  • Designing a coloured pebble that reflects their identity.
  • Pebble painting and create an individual Selfie-Stone for the Academy’s developing Only One Me community garden space.

YEAR 8

Mini-Beasts – Mixed media and 3D Textiles

Students will explore:

  • Mixed media observational studies using ink and oil pastel applying the formal elements.
  • The work of artists, designers/craftspeople and cultures from around the world.
  • Designing skills and developing their own ideas, through drawing, practical sampling and annotation.
  • Textiles techniques; fabric manipulating, fabric dying and basic stitching techniques.
  • 3D construction techniques.
  • Basic darkroom photography – creating a Photogram.

Gargoyles – Drawing and 3D Clay

Students will explore:

  • Drawing and recording from sources with charcoal, and pen.
  • How to create a Polyprint
  • Researching past and contemporary gargoyles
  • Designing and developing a personal idea and annotating
  • 3D Clay construction techniques; thumb-pot, coiling.

Self-directed/student led project including:

  • Observational drawing and recording exploring the formal elements
  • Responding critically to the work of artists, craftspeople and designers from around the world
  • A more comprehensive understanding of the colour wheel
  • Exploring and experimenting with media, materials, processes, and outcomes implementing, refining and developing what students have learnt throughout Key Stage 3
  • A personal and informed outcome

Our KS5

A LEVEL ART, CRAFT & DESIGN (Pearson Edexcel Exam board)

A LEVEL ART TEXTILES (AQA Exam board)

Both A level courses comprise of a Personal Investigation component (coursework) worth 60% of the qualification and an Externally Set Assignment component worth 40% of the qualification.

In Year 12

Students are introduced to a wide variety of techniques and processes through practical workshops within very well-equipped classrooms and studio spaces. Sixth form Art students have their own studio work space which they have exclusive access. Students use the knowledge and skills they have gained to generate their own practical work from a wide choice of thematic starting points. Our Sixth Form students create impressive personal and ambitious Art and Textiles work and our courses strongly prepares students to study their chosen creative course at University successfully. Many of our alumni, enjoy successful careers within the creative industries and as creative small business owners.

Workshops and short-term projects in Art & Design

These involve drawing, painting, photography (both digital and darkroom skills), printmaking, 3D sculpture and construction techniques using a variety of materials. Responding to the work of contemporary and non-contemporary artists, designers and craftspeople from a variety of cultures. Analysing contextual sources.

Workshops and short-term projects in Textiles

These involve drawing and recording using a variety of media and techniques, advanced sewing machine and hand embroidery skills, advanced fabric manipulation skills, dying fabric and creating hand-made natural dyes, embellishment. Responding to the work of contemporary and non-contemporary artists, designers and craftspeople from a variety of cultures. Analysing contextual sources. This work may provide the starting point for student’s Personal Investigation.

Students:

  • generate practical work, ideas and research from sources
  • Explore media and processes, develop and refine ideas, and present outcomes.

You will create sketchbooks, study sheets, samples, maquettes (small models) and final outcomes.

In Year 13

Students complete a sustained Personal Investigation which includes practical preparatory work, outcomes and written elements based on individual themes. Studio/Textiles practice is student-led with 1:1 bespoke teaching to support students to realise their creative intentions.

Students complete an Externally Set Assignment, responding to broad theme/s provided by the exam board. They produce preparatory work and produce a final, personal outcome within a 15 hours timed exam.

Our KS4

GCSE ART, CRAFT & DESIGN (Pearson Edexcel Exam Board)

In GCSE Art, Craft and Design you will:

  • Research primary and contextual sources – exploring both contemporary and historical sources of art, craft and design within the classroom and first-hand through visiting galleries and museums.
  • Take an individual approach to your art, craft and design making.
  • Develop and explore ideas.
  • Explore and experiment with a wide variety of techniques and processes using a diverse range of media and materials, for example: drawing, painting, printmaking, 3D sculpture, clay, textiles, photography, graphic design.
  • Present a personal response to inspiring themes.

GCSE PHOTOGRAPHY (Pearson Edexcel Exam Board)

In GCSE Photography you will:

  • Research and record primary and contextual images – within the Photography studio spaces and first-hand through visiting galleries and museums, and location Photoshoot visits.
  • Take an individual approach to creating your own photographic work.
  • Develop and explore ideas.
  • Learn how to take high quality, well composed and creative  photographs using both digital and analogue film cameras.
  • Explore and experiment with a wide variety of techniques and processes using a diverse range of media and materials both with the darkroom and digitally. For example: pinhole cameras and photograms, creating handmade negatives, developing your own negative film in the darkroom, creating photographs in the darkroom, creatively manipulating your photographs by hand, digitally using Photoshop and through darkroom techniques.
  • Present a personal response to inspiring themes.

GCSE ART TEXTILES (AQA Exam Board)

In GCSE Textiles you will:

  • Research the importance of design, designers, and artists.
  • Explore sources of inspiration.
  • Learn a wide variety of ways to record and observe including drawing, painting and mixed media
  • Learn a diverse range of practical skills through workshops including sewing machine skills, hand embroidery, felting, fabric manipulation, batik, tie dye, silk painting and block printing.
  • Research primary and contextual sources – exploring both contemporary and historical sources of textiles within the classroom and first-hand through visiting galleries and museums.
  • Take an individual approach to your textiles work.
  • Develop and explore ideas.
  • Present a personal response to inspiring themes.

Links to GCSE and A Level Virtual Exhibitions 2019:

Design Technology

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs, Apple

Design Technology is an inspiring subject which enables students to actively contribute to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of themselves and their community. Students learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Using creativity and imagination, students design and make products that solve real and relevant problems.

Within our Faculty we have a spacious computer suite equipped with CAD and Sketch Up software and 2 large teaching workshops with equipment and machinery to facilitate a wide variety of practical and manufacturing skills to manipulate wood, acrylic, metal, electronics and create graphic work. We also have a 3D printer and laser cutter. We have 1 large Food Technology room which is fully equipped to offer a diverse range of cooking skills.

Year Group Topics Covered in Design Technology

Our KS3

Year 7

Students will learn:

  • Communication through graphics
  • Product analysis, design, card modelling (make), evaluation.
  • Intro to CAD/CAM, researching designers, sketching and annotating, testing and evaluating.
  • Safe use of basic hand and machine tools in the workshop.
  • Practical skills in manufacturing to a tolerance in woods.
  • Designing within constraints in CAD/CAM

Year 8

Students will learn:

  • Research a designer, ketching skills – biomimicry, CAD/CAM
  • Memphis and Art Deco design eras, Workshop skills – shaping woods, press and vac forming plastics.
  • Changing movement through mechanisms, cams, cranks and followers.
  • Food and Nutrition – Food for life, hygiene, knife skills, preparing and combining ingredients, cooking using the grill and hob to create a variety of food items. How to store food safely.
  • Healthy and balanced diet and food provenance.

Our KS4

BTEC TECH AWARD IN ART AND DESIGN PRACTICE LEVEL 1/2 (Pearson Edexcel Exam Board)

In BTEC Tech Award in Art & Design Practice you will study the following:

Y9 Product Design

  • Sources of inspiration, communicating ideas.
  • 3D modelling – by hand and using CAD
  • Investigate art and design practice, researching, selection, presenting and communicating ideas.
  • Generate and communicate art and design ideas – using investigative work to generate own ideas, sketching, CAD, model making skills.

Y10

  • Practical skill development – Cutting and shaping, joining and finishing woods and plastics, wire frames and mod roc.
  • Practical skill development, how to explore a variety of both materials and techniques to model existing designs.
  • Recording and communicating skill development – Use of log sheets, displaying and keeping work safe, use of a digital portfolio with annotations.
  • Starting points, Contexts, Design Briefs, project limitation, specifications.

Y11

  • Demonstrate understanding of client needs. Interpreting a brief. Considering constraints and intentions.
  • Development of a response – Working with the client brief. Organisation skills. Preparing for a project. Applying a creative process through different disciplines.
  • Reviewing work based on client need. Presenting own work to a client.

Construction

WJEC LEVEL 1/2 AWARD IN CONSTRUCTING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Our Key Stage 4 Construction course is a hugely popular and successful option choice for students at our Academy.

Opened in 2013, the Fred Pickering construction unit enables us to teach a variety of construction trades in modern purpose-built accommodation. Separate bricklaying, plumbing, tiling, joinery, painting and decorating areas allow students the opportunity to gain a strong foundation in the knowledge and skills required for further study and employment in the construction sector.

Students complete a level 2 (GCSE equivalent) course which combines practical work taught in the Construction Unit alongside Safety and Security in construction and Planning Construction Project units which are delivered through classroom-based learning.

Students will learn:

  • Bricklaying practical skills.
  • Joinery practical skills.
  • Plumbing practical skills.
  • Tiling practical skills.
  • Electrical practical skills.
  • Painting and decorating practical skills.
  • Health and safety legal requirements for working in the construction industry.
  • To understand the risks to health and safety in different situations and how to minimise risks to health and safety.
  • How risks to security are minimised to construction

 

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