Art and Design: Art and Textiles

Aims

The Art and Design department aims to provide an enjoyable and fulfilling experience in this very broad subject area. We share the common belief that each child is able to prosper by finding their own niche in Art and Design. We refrain from over-didactic teaching with diversity and experimentation being the key for pupils to eventually succeed at the highest level in Art and Design.

Key Stage 3

Pupils in Key Stage 3 will experience a very diverse programme of work that sets a solid foundation for possible study in Key Stage 4. We aim for each child to gain a common experience through a rotation of shared teaching and in an environment where older pupils regularly act as added inspiration.

GCSE

We follow the open specification of the GCSE course offered by Edexcel. This course allows any pupil to work in any of the whole variety of disciplines as they so wish. Coursework comprises of two very broad themes which form a ‘personal portfolio’ and the course is completed by the undertaking of an externally set assignment which is also very flexible in subject matter and choice of connections to artists and designers.

AS and A Level

There is currently the possibility to study one or two Art and Design based specifications offered by Edexcel, namely the open specification and / or the Textile Design specification. We take pride in the number of prestigious university and college destinations reached by our pupils following sixth form.

Natalie Milner scored 100% in her Art A Level in 2008 and read English and Related Literature at the University of York. She is now embarking on a career as a journalist:

"Taking A level Art at Hull Collegiate School allowed me to explore my love of photography and, more importantly, gave me a confidence in my own creativity which extended into my other academic subjects. Researching artists, plus visiting galleries and sculpture parks, helped me to develop the originality needed within the independent research skills of my English Literature degree. Each individual’s unique outlook upon a theme created an inspiring, close-knit working environment, where nothing could be deemed too outrageous! It is rare to find an A level course where such a distinctive personalisation of work emerges."

Facilities:

The department is very fortunate to be housed in a modern and very spacious open plan art studio which boasts three general teaching areas with the flexibility for pupils to often move around the studio as they wish at GCSE and A Level stages. There are large balconies to house sculptural assemblages. Other facilities include computers with photo-shop applications, two interactive whiteboards, easels for larger canvas work and batik.

Extra Curricular:

An outstanding range of extra-curricular opportunities are available. Art and Design plays a large part in the school’s lunchtime activity programme. In addition to this, one can often find the studio populated by pupils after 4 pm, including one weekly workshop that can run on as late as 8 pm. Half-term and Easter workshop days as well as visits to galleries enhance an art pupil’s education here.

Staffing:

• Mr G Rogerson BA Manchester Metropolitan, PGCE (Head of  Department)
• Mr S Doncaster BA Leicester, PGCE
• Mrs E Wallis BA Leeds, PGCE