The Art Department offers a unique opportunity for the study of Art at A-level. The department has two painting studios, a pottery, a photographic light and darkroom, a sculpture studio, and a printmaking workshop. Art can be taken in combination with any other subject and pupils use it either as an aid to university entrance or for admission to Art courses at Art School or university.
The Art department teaches Fine Art and pupils receive training in painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, sculpture, and printmaking. Although desirable, a GCSE pass in Art is not a pre-requisite for the study of Art at A-level.
The first year AS course will include two coursework components in painting and sculpture with a largely visual art historical investigation that will be an extension of a pupil’s studio practice. The third element on which the pupils are assessed is a controlled assignment undertaken over five hours. During the AS year the pupils will visit a number of national collections and galleries, and will have the opportunity to meet professional artists through the exhibition programme in Gallery No.1 and the Susan Oppenheim Gallery.
In the second year A2 course the pupil will use the skills acquired and pursue their specialist areas of study. Only one coursework element will be required and a visual and written art historical study is conducted in greater depth. Their final terminal exam is of 15 hours duration. A trip to galleries in Europe or the U.S.A. is taken by the department in the Upper Sixth year to see some of the world's great collections at first hand.
One of the most notable features of the department is that it is open for 10 or 12 hours a day from Monday to Saturday, and then in the morning after Chapel on Sunday. Pupils are encouraged to use the department to continue their work in extra-curricular time, and the tutors in the Art School, who are all practitioners, are in attendance throughout the week to give help and advice.
Fine Art and Applied Art graduates have excellent employment opportunities in specialist areas such as Architecture, Three-Dimensional Design, Interior Design, Print Making, Theatre, Illustration, Graphics, Fashion, Ceramics, Textiles, Industrial and Product Design, Film and Photography. To help pupils who wish to follow higher education Art courses we emphasise the need to assemble a strong portfolio and prepare adequately for interview.