ART
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Department Staff and Responsibilities
Miss P Walmsley – Teaching and Learning Coordinator
Mrs S Earner – Teacher of Art
Miss D McConnell – Teacher of Art
Linked Governor – Mr D Liggett
In Art we believe in ‘Anything is possible.’
Art is part of our ‘Bedford Arts’ faculty where we encourage students to combine their Art skills in Dance, Drama and Music.
‘I cannot scream praise high enough for the teachers at Bedford Arts. It is their natural talent for nurturing and growth of self-esteem that has quite literally been life changing for my daughter’. Mrs Downs, (parent of an Arts student at Bedford High School).
Bedford High School is a Gold Artsmark School, Lead Artsmark School, Music Mark and National Theatre Flagship School. The Arts Faculty is composed of Art, Dance, Drama and Music and our united vision is to ‘Bring out the best in everyone through creative thinking and expression’. This statement is at the forefront of everything we do to ensure our students have as many high quality Arts opportunities as possible.
This year our new exhibition space celebrates the success of Bedford Art students at our annual Arts Competition evening. We encourage students to develop their understanding of a wide range of new skills in Art from traditional methods such as painting, drawing, sculpture, printing, textiles but also digital technologies such as animation, photography and photo-manipulation. Students then apply these skills and use their personal interests in Art at GCSE level to support them in becoming excellent art practitioners.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3 the department offers students the opportunity to work with a variety of materials and techniques, aiming to develop knowledge and understanding with a particular focus on primary research. Students are encouraged to work in ways that will prepare them for the rigour of GCSE coursework. Working in a style in keeping with coursework also gives students a clear idea of whether they want to choose Art as one of their options.
Key Stage 4 courses you can study in the Art department at Bedford High School:
- GCSE Art and Design
- GCSE Photography
- GCSE Textiles
Year 10 and 11 students will be required to use sketchbooks as a means for recording, researching, exploring, developing and documenting ideas. It will be a record of an individual’s observations, experiences, opinions and visual ideas, showing progression in knowledge, understanding and skills.
GCSE Art and Design
Students are encouraged to work with a variety of materials and techniques, producing prep work in sketchbooks and developing their own ideas towards a final result. The course is based on themes designed to allow maximum opportunity for analysis, creativity and imaginative use of materials and imagery. Diversity of response and an experimental approach is encouraged to enable individuals to express what they see, think and feel in their own way while realising their intentions in the making of artwork. Areas of study could include graphic design, textiles, fine art, 3D and photography.
How will I be assessed?
The course is comprised of 2 areas of study. Component 1 involves a major practical portfolio and final outcome/s based on internally set themes and subject matter developed from personal and/or given starting points. Component 2 is based on preparatory study that leads to a ten hour exam in which you will produce a response to a chosen theme, visual stimuli or written brief.
Component 1 – Portfolio (60% of the qualification)
Component 2 – Externally Set Assignment (40% of the qualification).
Testimonials
Megan Dunn (Graduated from Bedford High School 2020)
“I enjoyed my lessons in Art because I could be free with my ideas and be as creative as I wanted too and that I was always supported all the way through my time at Bedford. I am now at Wigan and Leigh college doing Level 3 Art and Design. In the future I want to study media makeup and fashion.”
Daisy Arkwright (Graduated from Bedford High School 2019)
“At Bedford High School, I enjoyed the freedom of drawing and being able to personalise my own work. I am now studying A-level Art, Graphics and Maths at college. I want to study Architecture in the future.”
Competitions
Finalists of Warrington & Vale Royal College’s Young Artist of the Year 2020 competition.
GCSE Photography
Students are encouraged to study the formal elements in Photography as they study light and lens based techniques such as cyanotypes, screen exposure, photograms, light painting, pin hole cameras and macro, depth of field and a variety of Photoshop techniques. The course is based on themes designed to allow maximum opportunity for analysis, creativity and imaginative use of materials and imagery. Diversity of response and an experimental approach is encouraged to enable individuals to express their ideas. Areas of study could include graphic design, textiles, fine art, and 3D.
How will I be assessed?
The course is comprised of 2 areas of study. Component 1 involves a major practical portfolio and final outcome/s based on internally set themes and subject matter developed from personal and/or given starting points. Component 2 is based on preparatory study that leads to a ten hour exam in which you will produce a response to a chosen theme, visual stimuli or written brief.
Component 1 – Portfolio (60% of the qualification)
Component 2 – Externally Set Assignment (40% of the qualification).
Competitions
Students from our Photography club have been successful in 2 national competitions so far this year. Photos were selected to feature in the Show and Tell exhibition: How Are You Feeling? Their photos were of 83 images chosen by the judges from over 22,000 submissions. The exhibition launched on the Show and Tell website and was part of a national billboard campaign.
We also represented the North West at the Holocaust Memorial Day, Light up the darkness competition.
GCSE Textiles
Students are encouraged to work with a variety of materials and techniques producing prep work in folders and developing their own ideas towards a final result. Students study a wide variety of techniques and process such as constructed textiles, digital textiles, dyed fabrics, printed fabrics, fashion design, installed textiles, soft furnishings, stitched and/or embellished textiles. The course is based on themes designed to allow maximum opportunity for analysis, creativity and imaginative use of materials and imagery. Students should demonstrate the ability to work creatively with processes and techniques appropriate to the chosen areas of study such as, weaving, surface printing (block, screen or digital), embroidery (machine or hand), knitting, batik, appliqué and collage.
Subject Intent and Learning Journey
The following link outlines what students will learn at each stage of their journey at Bedford in Art. This includes the key knowledge, skills and concepts they will encounter through their exciting and aspirational journey in Art. Art Curriculum Intent and Learning Journey.