Photography

At Weston Secondary School, our vision is to develop confident, independent and creative visual communicators who can use photography to explore ideas, tell stories and respond thoughtfully to the world around them. Through a high quality photographic education, students build strong technical skill, artistic understanding and personal expression. They learn how images influence culture and society, and gain the confidence to create purposeful, meaningful work using both digital and physical processes. 

Our Photography curriculum is carefully designed to reflect the expectations of the AQA GCSE Art & Design: Photography specification while building on the creative foundations developed at KS3 in subjects such as Graphics and Art. Throughout Key Stage 4, students develop their understanding of composition, camera control, lighting, visual analysis, and digital editing. These strands progress from structured skill building in Year 10 to independent, sustained project work in Year 11. 

Students study a diverse range of photographers, movements and cultural influences, enabling them to understand how images communicate ideas, identity and meaning. Alongside this, students refine their ability to plan shoots, experiment with processes, annotate thoughtfully, and present coherent outcomes that meet the four AQA GCSE Assessment Objectives. 

The curriculum is inclusive and accessible to all learners, providing structured support when needed and opportunities for stretch, creativity and independence as students develop their own artistic voice. 

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 photographic techniques 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 students 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 students 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. 

Photography at Weston develops the whole student. Our approach supports: 

• Secure knowledge of photographic composition, camera functions, lighting, visual analysis, contextual understanding and digital editing workflows 
• Appreciation of diverse visual cultures, creativity, resilience, independence, critical thinking and respect for differing artistic viewpoints 
• Technical confidence in camera handling, studio practice, controlled shooting, physical and digital manipulation, and the production of high quality photographic outcomes 

This reflects national curriculum aims by enabling students to explore ideas, investigate artists, record observations and present personal, meaningful photographic responses with increasing independence.