Wadebridge School Art Department

At Wadebridge School, we have created a bespoke art and design programme of study based on the National Curriculum. Our aim is to provide learners of all abilities with an engaging, inspiring and stimulating art and design curriculum.

Key Stage 3

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum follows the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and develops the knowledge and skills that students will build upon at Key Stage 4. We aim to provide a balanced and appropriate curriculum that enables students to:

• Develop their knowledge and understanding of art, craft and design.
• Understand the purposes of art, craft and design in a variety of contexts and apply this understanding to their own work.
• Engage in the creative processes of art, craft and design.
• Become confident in exploring ideas, processes, materials and techniques, with a particular emphasis on drawing.
• Develop an awareness of the working methods of artists, craftspeople and designers and apply these to their own work.
• Make informed decisions about the development of their work.
• Produce creative work, refining and developing a range of outcomes.
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, students follow the OCR GCSE Art and Design specification (J170–J176), with the Art, Craft and Design specialism. This offers flexibility for learners to explore a variety of media and choose approaches that best suit their interests and strengths.

Year 9 acts as a foundation course, revisiting the fundamental principles and techniques of drawing before applying these skills to wet materials and mixed media.

Drawing is central to the course, providing a foundation for creative thinking and the development of practical skills. During the remainder of Year 9, students complete a mini-project to help them understand the requirements of a set brief and project. They then take part in a series of printmaking workshops to develop and refine their skills in preparation for Year 10.

The remainder of the GCSE course focuses on Component 01: Portfolio, worth 60% of the final grade. Students develop a portfolio of work in response to the OCR specification, exploring ideas and refining their techniques.

Students also complete a mock examination, developing a final outcome for their portfolio and building confidence in preparation for Component 02: Externally Set Task.

Throughout the course, teachers take students' interests into account to ensure that their learning remains engaging, broad and balanced.