Art & Design at Newtownhamilton High School
Teacher Miss K Johnston with pupils Judith Foster, Melissa Taylor and Samantha Hyde who achieved full marks in their GCSE Art and Design.
“Art is the Smile of the School”
Vision and Aims
The Art & Design Department aims:
To provide a rich and varied Art & Design educational experience for all our pupils based on the aims of the NI curriculum;
To enrich each pupil’s sensory, artistic and creative awareness;
To develop skills of observation, imagination, independent thought and evaluation;
To make pupils aware of the relationship between their own work and that of artists, designers and craft workers of our own and other cultures;
To stimulate curiosity about the world around them.
Facilities
The Art and Design department consists of one large art room, an art store, a ceramic suite with kiln room and an apple mac suite. We have all the latest equipment and facilities for you to have an excellent learning experience and fun time in our department.
Learning
Key Stage 3
All Year 8 – 10 pupils experience a triple period of Art & Design per week. Throughout the three years pupils are encouraged to research, gather and interpret information from a variety of sources. They will develop an appreciation of other Artists, Designers and Crafts people.
They will experience a wide variety of media including painting, drawing, graphic media, printmaking, textiles, ceramics, 3 dimensional work, lens based & digital media and ICT in art and Design.
Pupils in year 10 can achieve a level 5 in ICT which is equivalent to a grade C at GCSE level.
GCSE
Pupils who choose to study Art & Design at GCSE level follow the NI CCEA Specification, (a two year course) and they follow an integrated, critical, practical and theoretical study of Art & Design. They will develop an appreciation of the work of artists, designers and craft workers from a range of cultural backgrounds. They also develop their artistic practice.
The GCSE course is made up of two units:
Unit 1: The Core Portfolio (Controlled Assessment) and is worth 60% of the final award
Unit 2: Working to a Stimulus (externally set exam) and is worth 40% of the final award
Achievements
In June 2009 Kirsty Riddle achieved full marks in her GCSE Art and Design and obtained an A* grade. Our other students all achieved either A*’s A’s or B’s.
In 2010 five out of eight pupils achieved an A grade with Melanie Nesbitt obtaining an A* and full marks in her GCSE Art.
In 2011 all pupils passed their GCSE Art with grade A*-C. Four pupils out of seven achieved A grades with three being A*. The three A* candidates all obtained full marks in their GCSE Art and Design. Well done.
Trips/Visits
Each year our GCSE pupils attend the True Colours Exhibition in Belfast. It is hoped that in the coming year we will have an artist visit our school to show and demonstrate their work to our pupils.
Career Possibilities
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