Art
Art is a popular subject at Blue Coat and a lively, active department where all pupils have the opportunity to engage in independent and creative learning. Pupils receive tuition in painting and drawing but they also explore and experiment with ideas using a wide variety of other materials and techniques including collage, clay, textiles and print as well as found and recycled objects.
Throughout KS3, as well as producing their own artwork, pupils look at the work of a range of artists and crafts people and learn how to understand contemporary art and artifacts and those from other times and cultures. They are encouraged to participate in discussion and develop the confidence to express opinion and make judgments about their own work and that of others. By exploring media and process they also learn how to make informed choices about materials and technique. Ambitious work is encouraged and pupils are secure to take artistic risks without fear of failure.
Currently about half of all pupils choose to continue with art at KS4 where they gain a GCSE in Fine Art. Results are good with an A*-C pass rate of above 90% most years. A proportion of these students will continue into A level where they will extend their experience of and response to artistic stimuli in order to produce imaginative and exciting individual work.
In the art department at Blue Coat we believe that all pupils will enjoy and can succeed in Art and Design and we value the quality of an idea and the application of imagination as highly as dexterity of technique.