Art

Introduction

The Art department at Breckenbrough School is fully committed to providing an education for the boys that is a unique experience and popular within the curriculum. Over the years it has developed successfully in providing pupils with a therapeutic atmosphere, which addresses some of their emotional and behavioural problems.

The Art Room is not only a working area but also somewhere where boys can come to relax and socialise. The planning of room space includes a sofa, audio-visual unit and background music giving a calming, therapeutic atmosphere for the students. During the summer months access to the garden is available through the patio doors and work is encouraged outside to take advantage of the quiet surroundings.

The department is open from after assembly in the morning until 8:00pm at night. However students are encouraged to work in the Art room at any time they wish, with supervision.

Aims

The aims of  the Art Department are to:

• foster enjoyment of the subject and celebrate achievement
• enhance pupils’ experiences giving confidence to develop their talents
• develop skills and knowledge of materials so that ideas can be planned, developed and completed successfully, using their own personal language of art
• encourage pupils to look at images and artefacts from the past and present times from a variety of cultures
• encourage the ability to communicate ideas, opinions and feelings about their own work and that of others
• help in the development of language skills so that boys can communicate about their art work
• provide opportunities to work as an individual, in pairs and in groups to develop social skills and self confidence

Programmes of Study

Art and Photograhy lessons are delivered from the AQA examination specifications.  Courses offered include:

Art (full), Art  (short Course), Photography (full), Photography (short course), Graphics (full), Graphics (short course).

Students who show exceptional performance are encouraged to take the Art or Photography examination early in Year 10 and extend their studies into year 11.

Students who do not wish to complete the Art course to examination level can use the time in a recreational and therapeutic way. A school Art certificate is placed in the record of achievement to say this has been undertaken. Open-ended approaches are used where a mixture of themes and techniques are completed. Displays around school and on the web site celebrate completion of  work.

Successes

The department has a tradition of providing a stimulating environment for students, parents, visitors and staff. Trips to museums and galleries are actively encouraged. Both Art and Photography are popular with boys, many of whom achieve successful exam results as well as a sense of achievement.