Art

Art is the study of the visual world, but it is also a powerful means of exploring ideas, identity, and philosophy. At The Blue Coat School, our Art curriculum is designed to develop students both as skilled practitioners and as independent, reflective thinkers. We aim to equip students with the technical skills needed to communicate their ideas effectively, while also nurturing the ability to generate, refine, and develop those ideas with confidence and originality.

Through sustained engagement with contextual references drawn from across the breadth of art history and contemporary practice, students are encouraged to understand how artists have responded to their cultural, social, and historical contexts. This allows students to situate their own work within a wider artistic tradition, while also developing a personal visual language and a strong sense of creative identity.

Students who study Art at The Blue Coat School leave with more than technical proficiency. They develop confidence in their creative decision-making, an ability to think critically and independently, and the skills necessary to succeed in a wide range of creative pathways, whether within the visual arts or related fields beyond school.

Curriculum Journey

In Year 7, students begin their artistic journey by exploring imagination, observation and design. Through projects based on hybrids, animals and mythological creatures inspired by Thomas Grünfeld, students develop drawing skills and learn how artists combine ideas to create imaginative outcomes. Studies of robots and engineering drawing introduce precision, structure and technical drawing techniques, while work on flags, symbols and geometric abstraction inspired by Sarah Morris encourages students to consider how visual language communicates meaning. Projects based on architecture, abstraction and the work of Picasso and Paul Klee develop an understanding of shape, composition and colour. The year concludes with investigations into the relationship between nature and humanity, inspired by Hundertwasser, encouraging students to think about sustainability, organic form and creative expression.

In Year 8, students build upon these foundations through projects that explore identity, communication and environment. Typography, logo design and graphic communication introduce students to the principles of visual branding and design. Through graffiti, tags and street art, students examine how artists express identity and challenge ideas. The study of perspective and apocalyptic landscapes, inspired by Syd Mead, develops technical drawing skills and spatial awareness. Students then explore portraiture and abstraction through the work of Chuck Close, learning how artists interpret the human face in innovative ways. The year concludes with doodles, automatic drawing and the work of Jon Burgerman, encouraging experimentation, creativity and confidence in personal mark-making.

Year 9 provides a bridge to GCSE Art by introducing students to increasingly sophisticated concepts and creative processes. Through studies of Calavera imagery, natural forms and Memento Mori, students explore symbolism, culture and mortality. Investigations into appropriation and anatomy, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, develop observational drawing and analytical skills. Students also create imaginative Alebrije-inspired works, combining cultural influences with personal creativity. Further projects explore experimental approaches, strange skeletons, fossils and mixed media techniques, encouraging students to combine research, observation and imagination in increasingly independent ways.

At GCSE, students undertake a sustained programme of practical and contextual study. Year 10 centres on the theme of Surfaces, exploring human presence, the body and the environment. Students refine their technical skills while developing increasingly personal responses to artist research and visual investigation. By the end of the year, they produce a substantial final outcome that demonstrates both technical competence and creative understanding.

In Year 11, students focus on portraiture, exploring drawing, colour, movement and personal interpretation. They develop increasingly independent responses before undertaking the externally set assignment, where students select and realise their own creative direction. This process encourages resilience, experimentation and personal expression while preparing students for further study.

At A Level, students engage with art at a more advanced and scholarly level. Workshops explore typography, colour and emotion, viewpoints and surrealism, allowing students to experiment with a broad range of techniques and concepts. Students then undertake extended personal investigations, developing a theme of their own choosing through sustained practical work and contextual research. In Year 13, the personal project and externally set assignment allow students to demonstrate originality, independence and a mature understanding of contemporary and historical art practice. By the end of the course, students have developed a distinctive creative voice and are well prepared for higher education and careers within the creative industries

Beyond the Classroom Experiences

Art is enhanced through a range of opportunities beyond the classroom. Students at all key stages can attend the weekly Art Lunch Club, providing opportunities to experiment with materials, develop personal projects and work collaboratively with other young artists. After-school catch-up and intervention sessions support students in refining coursework and developing technical skills. Sixth Form students also benefit from dedicated guidance on work experience opportunities, portfolio development and progression routes into art, design, architecture, illustration and the wider creative industries. These experiences help students build confidence, independence and a deeper appreciation of the creative process.

GCSE and A-Level Specifications

WJEC/EDUQAS GCSE Art & Design (Fine Art) (C651QS)

WJEC/EDUQAS A Level Art & Design (Fine Art) (A651QS)

Wider Reading Opportunities

Years 7–8

The Art Book for Children – Phaidon
You Are an Artist – Sarah Urist Green
Drawing Projects for Children – Paula Briggs
Art Adventures – Rosie Dickens

Year 9

The Story of Art (Young Readers Edition) – E.H. Gombrich
Steal Like an Artist – Austin Kleon
This Is Not a Book – Keri Smith
The Sketchbook Challenge – Molly Egan

Years 10–11

Ways of Seeing – John Berger
How to Be an Artist – Jerry Saltz
Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing – Phaidon
The Artist's Manual – DK

Years 12–13

The Story of Art – E.H. Gombrich
Why Your Five Year Old Could Not Have Done That – Susie Hodge
Art Matters – Neil Gaiman
The Creative Act – Rick Rubin
What Are You Looking At? – Will Gompertz

Journals, Galleries and Further Reading

Aesthetica Magazine
Artist & Illustrators
Tate Online Resources
National Gallery Learning Resources
Royal Academy of Arts Publications
Articles from Frieze and Apollo magazines

These resources encourage students to explore a wide range of artistic movements, techniques and ideas while developing the curiosity, creativity and critical thinking that underpin success in Art.