Photography

At The Oxford Academy, we believe that each child has the right to a broad and personalised education which stretches both their practical and conceptual skills. In Art and Design, we provide this through our carefully thought-out curriculum. 

When your child begins their Art education in year 7 they are guided through the eight formal elements of art which are the foundations for every task and outcome within Art and Design. We constantly refer back to these foundations throughout their learning from year 7 right through to year 13.

During Key Stage 3, your child will explore various media, techniques and processes which will enable them to develop a strong understanding of the visual world. The learning in Key stage 3 gradually builds from their understanding of Colour Theory, Mark Making and Observational Drawing through to each child being able to develop more conceptual questioning in relation to the world around us as part of their Messages project in year 9. 

At The Oxford Academy, we offer extra curricular enrichment activities such as Crochet Club,  Art Club and GCSE Art Study Club.

KS4 (GCSE)

At Key Stage 4, we offer GCSE in Art & Design and Photography, both through AQA. Our main aim during the GCSE process is to encourage your child to discover what kind of artist or designer they are. What are their interests and strengths? Where do they fit in the world now and where will they fit in the future?

The curriculum is written in order to build on the skills each child developed throughout Key Stage 3, and then to personalise this more by encouraging independence through individual exploration. We offer visits to galleries such as Tate Britain/Modern to encourage looking at the wider world and to develop critical analytical skills.

Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. Students will be taught to express themselves as individuals through references made to other artists’ work. Media and techniques they may explore include: drawing • painting • sculpture • installation • lens-/light-based media • photography • printmaking • mixed media • land art • digital applications

Students will develop knowledge, understanding and skills through integrated practical, critical and contextual study that encourages direct engagement with original works and practice. Art students may work in any medium or combination of media that they wish and they can work in a mixture of both digital and non-digital media. Our Photography course introduces students to lens-based image creation and manipulation with heavy emphasis on both experimentation and practical application outcomes.

Students must learn through practical experience and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of sources that inform their creative intentions. Intentions should be realised through purposeful engagement with visual language, visual concepts, media, materials and the application of appropriate techniques and working methods.

Students must develop and apply relevant subject-specific skills in order to use visual language to communicate personal ideas, meanings and responses. Students must, over time, reflect critically upon their creative journey and its effectiveness in relation to the realisation of personal intentions.

At KS5 our A-Level ( Edexcel) offers students who have completed the GCSE course of study, an opportunity to further develop their artistic endeavours more deeply with a more refined sophistication. Students will be expected to engage in a more analytical and critical approach to their understanding of sources through both written and visual outcomes.

Similar to GCSE in structure, the A-Level Art and Design course sees students working in a broad range of media including: drawing • painting • sculpture • installation • lens-/light-based media • photography • printmaking • mixed media • land art • digital applications.

Please find the curriculum overview document in the link below.

Curriculum Map for Photography