Art

At OMA we believe education is for everyone, that all students irrespective of their backgrounds, will be exceptional pupils, so they are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, qualifications, and mind-set to contribute positively to society. Everything we do in the vocational faculty is aimed at providing an ambitious and challenging curriculum which inspires, motivates, and exploits the limitless potential of all our students. This will be achieved by us ‘being inspired by the past – creating excellence in the present- by embracing the future’. Our long-term aim is to produce thinking, adaptable adults capable of taking his / her place in a changing technological society. We strive to create distinctive and dynamic partnerships between students and the world or work, forging active relationship with industry-based external training providers and employers.    

The vocational curriculum seeks to promote an educational culture which is scientific, technological, creative, healthy, and entrepreneurial within the framework of the school and national curriculum. In addition, our faculty aims to provide the excellent practical technological, scientific, and holistic communication skills needed by our manufacturing and service industries within the UK and global markets. Thus, ensuring that our students will be well-educated and skilled, ready, and able to progress into employment, further training, or higher education according to their individual aptitudes and ambitions. The faculty will be truly cross-curricular and will use aspects of many subjects to aid the students when developing innovative ideas and solving problems individually or as a team. The only boundary to making an impact in the future is our ‘imagination’ and our ability to ‘engineer’ the solutions that could affect peoples’ lives. Students arrive and leave our faculty with a sense of wonder in learning…. that they will carry with them for a lifetime.   

Pupils should be taught to:  

The aims we have for students are:

  1. Generating Ideas – to explore with an open mind and be experimental 
  2. Making – to exploit the visual tools that allow the artist to create a composition
  3. Knowledge – to apply the formal elements of art & design.
  4. about art, craft and design practitioners, practices, and their cultural context.
  5. Evaluating – to analyse how to use the elements of art critically, confidently critique, and discuss Art & Design in the written and oral form.  

YEAR 7:    

During year 7 pupils are introduced to core key skills in art such as tone, basic colour theory and composition. They will learn what makes an art piece effective as well as develop an understanding of some of the largest cultural art movements and the inspirations behind them. 

YEAR 8:    

Pupils will build on core practical skills introduced in year 7, as well as an introduction of sculpture. Pupils will learn about what makes an effective portrait and how proportion works in art. In this year, there will be a focus on what constitutes as an effective ‘final piece’. 

Year 9:   

Pupils will continue to develop skills introduced in year 7 & 8, modules in this year are developed with the BTEC course in mind and how pupils can be best prepared should they choose art. Projects are much more brief/client focused, continuing with sculpture, painting and an introduction to illustration. 

KS4

In year 10 & 11 pupils follow the BTEC programme provided by Pearson, during the course they will develop their practical skills learned in KS3. They will be encouraged to seek inspiration in the artwork of key individuals as well as generating their own ideas in response. Pupils will respond to a brief or buzzword as their theme and base their work around this.

Careers in the visual arts:

https://theartcareerproject.com/careers/

Fine Artist, Curator, Illustrator, Ceramicist, Stage Designer, Graphic Designer, Photographer, Concept Artist, Fashion Designer, Creative Advertising, Art Restoration, Jewellery Design, Animator, Interior Design, Web Design, Art Assistant, Tattoo Artist, Architecture, Furniture Design, Sculptor