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Introduction/ 
Foundation Skills 

Students join us with a wide range of experiences from Primary school. The first half-term is carefully designed to ensure that all students build a strong and consistent foundation in key artistic skills. During this time, they develop a solid understanding of essential art terminology, such as tone, texture, mark-making, line, form, pattern, colour, and perspective. 

To support their learning and deepen their understanding of the formal elements, we use examples of both historical and contemporary art. This helps students begin to engage with visual language and understand how it is used to communicate ideas.

• Title page 

• Tonal pencil  

• Colour Wheel (painting) 

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Mascot design  
Cereal Stars:
design a Character for Breakfast 

Students will design a fun and original character mascot to promote a new breakfast product (e.g. cereal, smoothie, granola bar). They will explore the relationship between design, advertising, and consumer appeal while developing drawing, annotation, and presentation skills. 

• Mind map and collage 

• Mascot design  

• Presentation

3

Our changing
seas 

This project explores the environmental changes affecting coral reefs. Students will be introduced to the work of contemporary ceramic artist Courtney Mattison, whose intricate sculptures highlight the fragility and transformation of marine ecosystems. 

Through this project, students will investigate pattern, texture, form, and design in both 2D and 3D formats. They will develop skills in printmaking techniques as well as ceramic work, allowing them to creatively respond to environmental themes while experimenting with a range of materials and processes. 

• Print outcome 

• Design page 

• Ceramic outcome 

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GameScapes: Building Worlds Through Perspective

In this project, students will develop their understanding of world building in concept art by learning and applying two-point perspective drawing techniques. Through structured lessons, they will gain the technical skills needed to design and illustrate a detailed scene from a fictional video game world inspired by a chosen design brief. The project encourages creativity, visual storytelling, and precision, while introducing students to real-world applications of art in the digital and gaming industries—highlighting concept art as a growing and viable career path. 

Guided Perspective drawing. 

Design brief research page. 

Final Perspective Game  

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Still life, Vanitas 

In this project, students explore Still Life as a key genre in Western art, with a focus on the symbolism and moral messages found in historical Vanitas paintings. By examining both traditional and contemporary artists, students will develop an understanding of how objects can reflect cultural values, mortality, and materialism. They will create their own modern interpretations of Vanitas compositions using skills in collage, photography, lighting, colour theory, line, and form—encouraging them to communicate meaning through thoughtful visual choices and composition.

Skull painting 

Vanitas Photography. 

Vanitas outcome

3

Textile Donut

This concise project introduces students to the fundamentals of craft, hand sewing, and the construction of a simple 3D textile object. By designing and creating their own felt doughnut, students gain hands-on experience with basic textile techniques while exploring creativity through self-directed design choices. The project encourages imaginative thinking, with inspiration limited only by the students’ own ideas. As part of their contextual understanding, students will also explore the work of contemporary textile artist Lucy Sparrow, whose playful, soft sculptures bring everyday objects to life. 

• Observational studies 

• Donut Design 

• Felt 3D donut.

Exam 

Painting   

In this project, students will complete a tonal bar and a still-life painting of a fruit or vegetable using only two colours/hues. The aim is to consolidate the painting skills they have developed throughout the year, with a focus on tonal variation, colour mixing, and controlled application of paint. Using a reference image, students are expected to demonstrate their ability to observe and replicate form, light, and shadow while exploring the expressive potential of a limited palette. This task reinforces technical accuracy and creative interpretation through focused, skill-based practice.

• Mixing the correct hues/tints/shades.  

• Smooth consistency  

• Grid method drawing  

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Beyond the Surface: Telling Stories Through Portraits

In  Beyond the Surface: Telling Stories Through Portraits, students explore how portraiture can go beyond likeness to express identity, emotion, and narrative. Through studying historical and contemporary artists, they will examine how expression, composition, colour, and symbolism can communicate deeper meaning. Students will develop their drawing and painting skills through observational studies and experiments, leading to a final portrait that tells a personal or imagined story. This project encourages both technical growth and creative expression, inviting students to reflect on how we represent ourselves and others through art.

1-9

Observational drawing  

Collage techniques  

Watercolour Skills  

2

Built by pattern 

Built by Pattern is a creative and exploratory art project that invites students to investigate the rich visual language of cultural patterns from around the world, using these as inspiration to develop their own unique designs. Through this process, students will explore how pattern, form, and structure interact in both natural and built environments, constructing low-relief and 3D forms using card and other accessible materials. They will learn fundamental construction techniques while considering proportion, rhythm, and spatial relationships, and will also experiment with colour and surface texture—incorporating watercolour and mixed materials to enhance visual and tactile qualities. The project encourages students to think across dimensions, connecting 2D design with 3D form, and culminates in the creation of personal, culturally inspired sculptures that reflect a deeper understanding of structure, pattern, and design.

Pattern design with colour  

Low Relief Model  

3D Slot construction structure   

Final structure