Visual Arts

The underlying ethos of the Visual Arts curriculum at Eastbrook School is to inspire within each student a passion for art as a visual language, enabling them to successfully work as independent artistic practitioners.

A successful student of the visual arts subjects at Eastbrook School develops knowledge, understanding and skills through integrated practical, academic, critical and contextual study. They gain a broad range of practical experience in the visual arts and demonstrate critical appreciation of sources, which inform their creative intentions. These intentions are realised through purposeful engagement with visual language, visual concepts, media, materials and the application of appropriate techniques and working methods. Students develop and apply relevant subject-specific skills to visually communicate personal ideas, meanings and responses. Students, over time, reflect critically upon their creative journey and its effectiveness in relation to their personal body of work.

The visual arts embody some of the highest forms of human creativity and we aim to engage, inspire and challenge students not only to become creative learners but to become principled, resilient, open, understanding and disciplined individuals. We aim to equip them with the knowledge skills and understanding to experiment, invent and create their own thoughtful work in response to a theme. As students progress through the key stages, they are able to respond critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of the visual arts in a wider context. They gain an insight into how art both reflects and shapes our history, and contributes to culture, creativity and wealth. We believe that studying the visual arts provides students with technical skills and a cultural literacy which, in turn, increases employability and social mobility.

Studying the visual arts can also help with understanding, interpreting and negotiating the complexities and diversity of society. We give the next generation of artists, designers, engineers, creators and leaders the opportunity to develop the imagination and skills that are vital to our future. Arts and cultural learning encourage diversity, awareness, empathy and appreciation of differences.

The visual arts curriculum successfully develops students’ character strengths and virtues through the PROUD ethos. Students learn to be principled and open when working independently with specialist, expensive equipment, and by supporting each other when learning new skills and complex techniques. Students gain a deep level of understanding of the visual arts and relevant scientific principles, through curiosity and critical thinking skills. They must be disciplined when building a portfolio of work which successfully meets the AQA examining body assessment objectives, through sustained and consistent practical application of skills to realise personal intentions. They take responsibility for the equipment and studio space with respect and honesty. Students are challenged at every stage to work through challenges and to overcome misconceptions about the subject, gaining resilience.

The underlying ethos of the visual arts curriculum is to inspire within each student a passion for art as a visual language, enabling them to successfully work as independent artistic practitioners. Furthermore, students are encouraged to contribute to the life of the school and community by, for example, participating in compeititons such as our annual Black Excellence Portrait Competition and Christmas Card Design Competition, designing posters and display for other areas of learning, volunteering their skills in documenting whole school activities, participating in borough arts events and providing high quality photographic images for display around the school.

The curriculum also prepares students for life beyond secondary education by instilling cultural capital, through culturally enriched experiences that they may not otherwise enjoy and learn from. These take the form of encounters with industry professionals, curated gallery visits and location shoots, creative workshops and university art course taster days. This vital element of the curriculum both strengthens students’ practice and enables students to access career pathways towards the creative industries and beyond. Students gain a sense of place within the world and build a cultural hinterland which endures for a lifetime.