KS3 Art

Our vision for art at Ashton Park:

Art as a subject is vast and includes many disciplines. It is also a subject which can be both practical and theoretical. We aim to give students a broad experience across a wide range of media and equipment, giving historical and contemporary context to the art we study. Our hope is that students will be able to master the core techniques and develop a visual literacy, but most of all we would like them to enjoy the subject and develop as a young artist.

The disciplines of art

Our KS3 Art curriculum is built around termly experiences in three main disciplines: Drawing & Illustration, Painting & Colour and Sculpture & Mixed Media.

We visit these disciplines annually to allow us to build on prior learning. Through these termly experiences run our core threads:

Refinement of Knowledge: each project will enable our students to build their knowledge of the discipline and their knowledge of contemporary and historic artists within that.
Refinement of skills and application: each project will cover the core skills of line, shape, form, tone, texture, pattern, colour and composition across the faculty. (Art and textiles at KS3).

The structure of our curriculum

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Drawing and illustration- Introductory drawing skills
In this project you will take a line for a walk and gain confidence with your drawing. It will be an opportunity to learn the basic drawing skills including: Mark-Making, Line, Texture, Shape and Tone..

Outcome is inspired by fish and underwater.

Knowledge Organiser

Painting and Colour - Colour theory concepts
This project will focus on learning the theory of colour, including; primary colour, secondary colour, complementary colours and within this learning to mix paint.

Outcome is thinking about environment and ‘Our school’

Knowledge Organiser

Sculpture and mixed media - Working in relief
In this project you will learn basic clay skills; rolling out a slab of clay and how to join pieces together. It will also include an introduction to the use of mixed media and scraffito techniques.

Outcome takes part in whole school display- ‘I am a small cog but play my part in the wider community’

Knowledge Organiser

Drawing and illustration- 3D drawing
Building on your y7 work you will develop your drawing skills by learning to draw 3 dimensionally, with ellipses, contour shading and drawing with colour. This project also includes looking at zentangle work and patterns which will appear in backgrounds.

Outcome is based on indoor plants and leaves

Knowledge Organiser

Painting and Colour - Developing painting skills
In this project you will use your colour theory knowledge from y7 and bring it to life in two self-portraits. You will also be learning about facial proportion whilst developing your painting skills using more advanced colour mixing.

Outcomes will be a realistic self-portrait and a Fauvist inspired portrait.

Knowledge Organiser

Sculpture and mixed media - 3D clay skills
You will be extending your y7 clay skills in this project with learning how to make a coil pot and working three dimensionally. Also in this project you will be getting a chance to look at texture within 2D work and be inspired by the oldest artwork ever recorded.

Outcome will include a coil pot and additional linking 2D mixed media pieces

Knowledge Organiser

Drawing and illustration- Advanced drawing skills
Building on your y8 drawing skills, you will continue to develop your ability to draw 3
dimensionally using ellipses and contour shading, cementing this knowledge. You will then
extend these skills, learning to draw in an expressive and fluid way, to develop meaningful
outcomes which have personal connections to you.

Outcome is based on students' own creativity and personality but will include a reference to
a still life object which was drawn at the start- a drinks can/glass bottle

Knowledge Organiser

Painting and Colour - Advanced painting techniques
This project will see you complete your painting journey by learning advanced painting techniques. This will involve applying colour sensitively and realistically, using many layers to create high quality outcomes.

Outcomes will include tree work and ripe fruit, good enough to eat!

Knowledge Organiser

Workshops - Graphics and Perspective
These workshops will complete your KS3 experience. You will know about and be able to use 1 and 2 point linear perspective within your own work and have the opportunity to look at graffiti style lettering with some reference to Escher in there too!

Outcomes will be many and varied and reflect your own personal interests.

Knowledge Organiser

Assessment of the art curriculum

In art there is an ongoing process to assess whether students have learned the knowledge and understanding of our intended curriculum. Each large term our teachers will look through the student portfolios to assess whether the students are meeting our standards. We then make a judgement about whether the students are developing, secure or exceeding artists. In the table below you will find examples of work at each of these bands for the projects we have completed so far. This is a work in process and more examples will be added as we move through the year.

Year 7 examples of the work we expect for developing, secure and exceeding students.

Year 8 examples of the work we expect for developing, secure and exceeding students.

Year 9 examples of the work we expect for developing, secure and exceeding students.

Year 7 Drawing & Illustration exemplar work (Term 1 & 2)

Year 7 Painting & Colour exemplar work (Term 3 & 4)

Year 8 Drawing & Illustration exemplar work (Term 1 & 2)

Year 8 Painting & Colour exemplar work (Term 3 & 4)

Year 9 Drawing & Illustration exemplar work (Term 1 & 2) (this project has been updated and a new assessment exemplar will follow.)