Art & Design

At Weston Secondary School, our vision is to develop creative, confident and independent young artists who can express ideas visually, think critically and appreciate the world through an artistic lens. Art & Design encourages students to explore their imagination, develop visual literacy and build resilience through making, experimentation and reflection. We aim to nurture learners who value cultural diversity, personal expression and the role of art within society. We aim to nurture learners who value cultural diversity, personal expression and the role of art within society. 

The Art curriculum is designed to provide a broad and progressive foundation from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4. Students learn how to investigate, experiment, refine and present ideas using a wide range of materials and techniques. They develop secure knowledge of visual elements, learn how to analyse artists’ work, and build confidence in expressing personal responses. 

Art & Design at Weston develops the whole student. Our approach supports: 

• Strong understanding of visual elements, artistic processes, contextual influences, sustainability, and the ability to analyse and communicate ideas effectively. 
• Confidence, emotional expression, resilience and respect for diverse cultures and viewpoints. Students explore personal, social and cultural themes with empathy and open mindedness. 
• Technical proficiency in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and mixed media. Students develop craftsmanship, accuracy and pride in producing high quality outcomes. Students develop craftsmanship, accuracy and pride in producing high quality outcomes. 

This curriculum enables learners to explore ideas, record observations, experiment purposefully and produce meaningful, personal artwork with increasing independence. 

In line with the National Curriculum, students at Key Stage 3 are taught to develop their creativity and ideas, increase their proficiency in a wide range of techniques, and build a critical understanding of artists, architects and designers. They learn to use a variety of materials and processes, record observations, analyse artwork using appropriate visual language, and understand the historical and cultural development of art and design.  

At Key Stage 3, our Art and Design curriculum is structured around a spiral model, ensuring that core knowledge, skills, and concepts are introduced, revisited, and deepened over time. Students engage with drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, sculpting, printmaking and critical analysis in progressively more sophisticated ways, building confidence and independence as young artists. Each year returns to foundational elements such as line, tone, colour theory, composition, and contextual understanding while extending learning through new techniques, materials, cultural perspectives, and creative challenges. This approach supports long‑term retention, allows learners to make meaningful connections across units, and promotes a rich understanding of art as both a technical discipline and a form of personal, social, and cultural expression.  

By engaging with practical making, problem-solving and critical reflection students develop confidence, visual literacy and the ability to think creatively and independently, ensuring they are well prepared to thrive in the wider world. By the end of Key Stage 3, students have developed a secure, evolving skill set and the creative resilience needed for further study in Art and Design. 

At Key Stage 4, GCSE students deepen their practical and creative skills through the AQA Art & Design framework, developing increasing independence in idea generation, research, experimentation and visual communication. The curriculum is structured to support progression across all four AQA assessment objectives: 

• Students develop ideas through purposeful investigations and critical study of artists, designers and contextual sources, aligning with AO1.  
• They refine their work by experimenting with media, materials, techniques and processes to explore possibilities and improve outcomes, directly supporting AO2.  
• As projects evolve, students strengthen their ability to record observations, insights and reflections using drawing and annotation, demonstrating the requirements of AO3.  
• Ultimately, they learn to present a personal, meaningful, and coherent final response that realises their intentions and shows understanding of visual language, fulfilling AO4.  

Through this structured approach, students build a coherent body of portfolio work that demonstrates creativity, technical control and thoughtful engagement with themes and influences. This directly reflects AQA’s expectations for: 

• Component 1 (Portfolio of work – 60% of final GCSE grade), where learners produce sustained projects responding to starting points, project briefs or tasks, and show clear development from initial ideas through to final outcomes.  
• Component 2 (Externally Set Assignment – 40% of final GCSE grade)) by developing independence, resilience and the ability to work confidently within time constraints. Collectively, this prepares learners for success at GCSE and supports progression into post‑16 creative pathways, in line with the aims of the AQA specification, which encourages creative thinking, risk‑taking, and reflective practice.