“Creativity is critical thinking and without it how are you going to open up and ask harder questions? Art opens up those… possibilities to think beyond what we already know.”
Catherine Opie, artist
Learning through and about the arts enriches the experience of studying whilst at school as well as preparing students for life after school.
Arts subjects encourage self-expression and creativity and can build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity.
Creativity can also help with wellbeing and improving health and happiness.
Studying arts subjects also help to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to interpret the world around us.
Skills
Studies show that studying Arts subjects leads to improved student performance in Maths, English, critical thinking and verbal skills. Arts education can also help with developing skills and ways of working that will benefit you in the future in whatever career you choose.
By developing their creativity skills and an enterprising mind-set, young people will be:
Careers
Some jobs that you could pursue in the creative arts, design or fashion include:
Broad General Eduction (BGE)
In the BGE our priority is to ensure all students gain competency in fundamental art techniques and expand on skills for learning, life and work.
These skills include:
These skills will be taught through exercises in expressing thoughts and ideas and creating solutions to design problems, working from a breadth of source material; contemporary and historical, global and personal, traditional and modern.
S1 and 2
Pupils will participate in a balance of Design and Expressive projects from the following experiences:
Pupils develop their experience of Art and Design practice through developing skills, technical ability, and creativity. Critical examples are introduced with each project, and referenced in pupils’ sketchbooks. At least one extended study will be completed for both Design and Expressive. Pupils will complete evaluation of their own work as well as that of their peers with each activity. Use of ICT is intrinsic to the course.
Homework is completed fortnightly to build on and enhance understanding of class work.
S3
These courses are suitable for all students with an interest in art and design, and for those wishing to progress to higher levels of study. Students will build on art and design skills developed through the experiences and outcomes of early-stage art and design in the BGE of S1 & 2.
Senior Phase
In the Senior Phase, courses are suitable for all students with an interest in art and design, and for those wishing to progress to higher levels of study. Students will build on art and design skills developed through the experiences and outcomes of early-stage art and design in the BGE phase of S1 & 2.
Courses available are-
Art and Design
Photography
Why choose Art and Design?
The form of every man-made object we buy is the work of designers. In addition, a whole range of our entertainment stems from expressive artists through painting, sculpture, photography in films, DVDs, book illustrations, CD covers. The courses offered will help you to appreciate good design and creative expression by the practice of design and expressive skills.
Skills
Course content
Art and Design Course Structure
The Art and Design Courses enable learners to plan, develop, produce and present creative art and design work, and to develop their critical understanding of a range of art and design practice. The Course also enables learners to understand the impact of external factors on artists and designers and their works.
National 3
You will complete two Units:
National 4
You will complete three Units:
National 5 and Higher
Students produce a Design and Expressive portfolio, which is externally assessed. They also sit an externally assessed written paper.
Expressive
Students learn to develop their personal thoughts and ideas in visual form, and develop critical understanding of artists’ working practices and the social and cultural influences affecting their work. They will select stimuli and produce analytical drawings and studies. They will develop and refine their expressive ideas and artwork, experimenting with and using a range of materials, techniques and/or technology in 2D and/or 3D formats when responding to their chosen theme.
Design
Students learn to plan, research and develop creative design work in response to a design brief. They will develop their creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills as they consider design opportunities and work to resolve design issues and constraints. They will develop critical understanding of designers’ working practices and the main social and cultural influences affecting their work. They will experiment with, develop and refine their design ideas, using a range of materials, techniques and/or technology in 2D and/or 3D formats.
Advanced Higher
Advanced Higher Art and Design – Expressive
The Advanced Higher Expressive course provides opportunities for learners to develop their creativity, visual awareness and understanding of aesthetic, while exploring how to communicate their personal thoughts, ideas and opinions through their expressive artwork.
The course provides opportunities for learners to develop their creativity, visual awareness and understanding of aesthetic, while exploring how to communicate their personal thoughts, ideas and opinions through their expressive artwork. This involves visually exploring and responding in an individual way to stimuli, researching challenging expressive art contexts and evaluating how artists respond creatively to stimuli.
Advanced Higher Art and Design – Design
The Advanced Higher Design course combines investigative and practical learning with knowledge and understanding of design practice. Candidates develop a range of design techniques and creative skills.
Candidates select a design brief for their portfolio. They follow a design process to develop design ideas and resolve and realise solutions which are influenced by their investigation into design practice. They produce a contextual analysis of a selected design work by discussing related contexts and analysing their impact on the features of the design work. Candidates reflect on and evaluate their creative decisions and design work.
Photography
National Progression Award (S4)
The National Progression Award in Photography at SCQF level 4 develop knowledge and understanding in practical photography. The Awards are aimed at those who want to explore their interest in photography and perhaps take it to a more advanced level.
Higher Photography (S5/6)
The course encourages candidates to be inspired and challenged by visually representing their personal thoughts and ideas through the medium of photography. An integrated approach to learning means candidates plan, develop and produce creative and technically proficient photographs.
Candidates develop skills that are valuable for learning, life and work. The course allows them to broaden their skills base and to widen their horizons regarding the range of vocations available to them.
The course consists of a Project and a written examination which are externally assessed.
The aims of the course are for candidates to:
Members of the Art and Design Department
J Dixon – Principal Teacher of Art and Design
N Keir – Teacher of Art & Design
A Collop – Teacher of Art and Design