Welcome to the Art Department

All pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 study art. As a department, we feel that drawing underlies all art activities, so each year there is a major project on improving drawing skills. Another project concentrates on one of the specialisms that we offer. Each year group completes a workshop or goes on a museum or gallery visit; they then do practical work inspired by it. Recent trips have been to the Tate Modern, Tate Britain and the British Museum.

At GCSE, we offer courses in Fine Art, Art Graphics, Art Photography and 3-dimensional art. Approximately half the girls in the year opt for one of these art courses. Our examination board is Edexcel.

At A level, we offer courses in Fine Art, Art Textiles, Art Photography and the History of Art.

At GCSE and A level, pupils have the opportunity to attend art trips in the UK and abroad. Previous trips have included Paris, Venice, New York and San Francisco.

We have specialist art rooms for 3-dimensional art including a kiln room, a photography studio with a darkroom and a textiles art room, so younger girls in Key Stage 3 have the opportunity to use those facilities when they have lessons in those rooms.

We also have a 6th form art studio in the 6th form building. This is a large studio space which is ideal for making sculptures as well as creating large paintings. We have a sculpture garden alongside the department for displaying the work the girls do.

Due to our Visual Arts Status, we have very good connections with a number of partner primary schools, and we regularly offer workshops for their children and art Inset for their teachers. We also run many evening classes for the general community.

Our gallery space in the 6th form building is always booked well in advance for local artists to display their work. Our A level and GCSE pupils also have the opportunity to exhibit there.

Do enjoy looking through the galleries of artwork produced by our students.