Art and design at Hermitage Academy, leads students on a creative journey though self-expression whilst developing a wealth of knowledge in core skills. Drawing underpins all creative outcomes, with painting, mixed media, digital editing, Sculpture and experimental approaches, experienced by students and developed into outcomes throughout key stages three and four.
We encourage our students to explore visual, tactile and other sensory experiences to communicate ideas and meanings. They work with traditional and new media, developing confidence, competence and imagination. We pride ourselves on the variety of specialist resources and ideas from which to develop a wide variety of subject specialist skills. They learn to appreciate and value images and artefacts across times and cultures, and to understand the contexts in which they were made.
Students reflect critically on their own work and that of others, judging quality, value and meaning. They learn to think and act as artists, craftspeople and designers, working creatively, intelligently and independently. Using the formal elements of art and design, students articulate their thoughts and opinions about artwork from a range of artists, designers and practitioners and the work of their own and peers, with subject-specific terminology.
In key stage three, a wide variety of drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking and sculpture allow pupils to explore and develop ideas and design processes whilst learning about divine proportion, pictorial space, colour theory and composition. A range of materials, techniques and processes are used including Paper Collage, diverse drawing media, Ink and Oil pastel Resist techniques, photography for observation, watercolour and print making and Stencil production.
In key stage four, students are invited to advance upon processes introduced at key stage 3 to develop their confidence and creativity. Specialist disciplines covered at GCSE include Art and Design and Photography. Specifications delivered at Hermitage Academy are AQA Art and Design across the two endorsements.