ART, CRAFT AND DESIGN‍

The art curriculum at Thirsk School and Sixth Form College is designed to be engaging, inspirational and challenging. Key skills within art, craft and design are developed incrementally each year and students are encouraged to be inventive and creative through experimentation with different techniques and processes. Art History is taught throughout all key stages and students investigate and evaluate a wide range of creative outcomes. They develop a critical understanding about the history of art, including major movements from the past, up to the present day. Students are encouraged to be independent learners through both classroom-based teaching and their own exploration of art, craft and design.

Throughout Key Stage 3 students complete one main unit of work per term focusing on the themes of Still Life, Portraiture and Landscape. Each unit is divided into smaller sections enabling students to be taught a wide range of skills in both 2D and 3D techniques and to develop their creativity and independence. Art at GCSE is a popular option, and the course is taught over two years following the AQA Art, Craft and Design specification. Skills taught at Key Stage 3 are developed further and students use a range of contemporary methods to further their knowledge of artists and designers. Students who continue onto Key Stage 5 can choose A’ Level Art, Craft and Design or A’ Level Photography. Both courses are enjoyable and stimulating and are designed to teach new skills and techniques and promote further independence in individual artistic practise. In Year 13 students produce a Personal Investigation to suit their interests, skills and personal style. Our art students leave Sixth Form fully equipped to go on to continue their studies within the creative industries, studying a wide range of courses such as Architecture, Illustration, Film and Media Production, Fine Art, and Product Design.