Why We Study Art
Art at Ramsden Hall Academy empowers our pupils with SEMH needs to express themselves creatively, build confidence, and develop a flexible mindset towards learning. Through exploring diverse artistic techniques, mediums, and the work of renowned artists, we provide opportunities for students to discover their creative voice, experience success, and develop self-esteem in a safe and supportive environment.
Art helps pupils develop emotionally and socially by providing a therapeutic outlet for self-expression, enabling them to process feelings and experiences through visual creativity. Our curriculum supports pupils' regulation and wellbeing through structured creative activities, whilst building the practical skills, artistic knowledge, and critical thinking necessary for lifelong engagement with visual arts. By working with varied materials—from painting and drawing to printmaking, textiles, pottery and digital media—pupils develop fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and the confidence to experiment and take creative risks.
By combining practical skill development with opportunities to explore artists from contemporary and historical contexts, our Art curriculum prepares students for their next steps in education, training or employment. Through recognised qualifications including Edexcel GCSE Art, we ensure pupils leave Ramsden Hall Academy with both creative competencies and accredited achievements that demonstrate their artistic abilities and open doors to further opportunities in creative industries and beyond.
Our Five Aims
1. Develop Practical Art Skills and Creative Confidence
Pupils will build competence across drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, pottery, and mixed media techniques, developing the fundamental skills needed to express themselves visually. By mastering basic techniques before progressing to more complex processes, and working with diverse materials including acrylics, watercolours, clay, textiles and digital media, pupils develop the creative confidence to experiment and take artistic risks.
2. Explore Artists, Movements and Cultural Contexts
Pupils will engage with the work of artists, craftspeople and designers from contemporary and historical contexts, periods, societies and cultures. By studying artists including Van Gogh, Picasso, Rousseau, Hockney, Lichtenstein, Escher and indigenous art traditions, pupils develop understanding of how art reflects diverse experiences, cultural identities and historical moments, broadening their perspectives and inspiring their own creative development.
3. Express Personal Ideas and Respond to Themes
Every pupil will develop their ability to record ideas, observations and insights, creating personal and meaningful responses to themes and stimuli. Through projects exploring identity ("All About Me"), environment ("Natural Habitats"), place ("Essex"), imagination ("Out of This World") and social themes ("Healthy Eating"), pupils learn to use art as a vehicle for self-expression and communication.
4. Build Resilience, Problem-Solving and Independent Learning
Pupils will develop growth mindset, recognising that artistic ability can be developed through effort, experimentation and practice. By learning from mistakes, evaluating their work critically, making informed choices about materials and techniques, and taking ownership of their creative journey, pupils build the resilience and independence needed for success in all areas of life.
5. Prepare for Further Education, Employment and Lifelong Creativity
Pupils will gain recognised qualifications and develop transferable skills relevant to careers in creative industries including art, design, media, fashion, and beyond. Understanding how to develop ideas through investigation, refine work through experimentation, present professional portfolios, and communicate visually prepares pupils for further education or employment whilst fostering lifelong engagement with visual arts.
How We Teach Art
Curriculum Structure
Our Art curriculum progresses from foundational skills and exploration in Key Stage 3 through to GCSE qualification in Key Stage 4, with carefully sequenced projects that build confidence, technical competence and creative independence.
Year 6/7 focuses on building confidence using various mediums and developing a flexible mindset towards learning. Autumn Term explores "All About Me" including colour theory, silhouettes, self-portraits inspired by Van Gogh, exploring Picasso's techniques through superhero collages and seated woman compositions, culminating in evaluation and reflection. Spring Term develops "Out of This World" including space-themed work inspired by Roy Lichtenstein's Pop Art, onomatopoeia word posters, 2D and 3D model construction, and "Natural Habitats" exploring Henri Rousseau's work through collage using natural resources and printing techniques. Summer Term focuses on "Essex" including David Hockney's photography and coastal studies, seaside postcards, shell exploration using clay moulds and colour blending, beach hut models, and collaborative tile work depicting the seaside.
Year 7/8 continues skill development with increasing independence. Autumn Term covers tessellation inspired by M.C. Escher, Aboriginal art using pointillism to create totem poles and boomerangs, mosaics using tile cutters and grout, screen printing techniques producing multiple copies, and textile design creating personal t-shirt designs with stencils. Spring Term develops template making for t-shirt printing, public art exploration including the London Elephant Parade, designing and creating decorated animal sculptures in groups, and healthy eating poster design for the school dining hall using various mediums including acrylics, palette knives and textures. Summer Term focuses on pottery including hand-building techniques (slabbing, coil and pinch construction), creating personal designs, and decorating using ceramic paints.
Years 9 and 10 (GCSE) introduce the Edexcel GCSE Art qualification, with the portfolio showcasing a range of practical art skills and crafts meeting the four assessment objectives. Initial weeks cover GCSE introduction and the value of visual arts, understanding terminology and how sources inspire development of ideas, using digital and non-digital equipment to capture and upload work, written annotation demonstrating ability to record ideas and insights, collaboration as part of the creative process, and giving feedback to identify improvements and explore different techniques and mediums. Throughout the year, pupils develop ideas through investigations of chosen artists, refine ideas through experimenting and selecting appropriate resources, record ideas and observations in visual and other forms, and present personal, informed and meaningful responses demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
Year 11 (GCSE) focuses on completing the portfolio by continuing to develop responses to themes through investigating and analysing the work of artists, designers and craftworkers, recording observations, experimenting with materials and techniques, and refining final pieces. Pupils work towards completing all four assessment objectives from September through May, building comprehensive portfolios that demonstrate their artistic journey, technical skills, and personal creative voice.
Building Knowledge and Skills from Varied Starting Points
All pupils begin with introductory activities that establish expectations, explore the art room environment, and assess prior experience with different mediums. We recognise that students enter lessons at different ability levels, and differentiation plays a key role in allowing all to be engaged and challenged within lessons.
Skills are taught progressively, beginning with basic techniques before advancing to more complex processes. Year 7 establishes foundational skills including colour mixing, drawing techniques, basic printmaking, and working with clay. Year 8 builds on these foundations with more sophisticated techniques including tessellation, screen printing, textile design, and advanced pottery methods. Years 9-11 develop independence, critical thinking, and the ability to investigate artists, experiment with materials, and create sophisticated personal responses.
Each project revisits and reinforces core skills whilst introducing new techniques. Colour theory is explored in Year 7 through colour wheels and Van Gogh studies, developed in Year 8 through Aboriginal art and healthy eating posters, and applied independently in GCSE work. Drawing skills progress from self-portraits and silhouettes in Year 7 through Picasso-inspired angular compositions in Year 8 to artist-influenced investigations at GCSE. Printmaking develops from simple printing in Year 7 through screen printing in Year 8 to sophisticated experimentation at GCSE level.
Differentiation is embedded throughout with varying levels of support, pair work and group discussions, choice of mediums for individual students, structured templates for those needing support, and extension opportunities for those ready for greater challenge. Low ability students receive additional scaffolding including shapes to draw around, guided use of tools, and simplified tasks. Medium ability students work with moderate support and increasing independence. High ability students access advanced techniques, work with minimal support, and explore creative extensions.
Trauma-Informed Teaching Approach
Our Art teaching reflects trauma-informed practice through creating a safe, predictable environment where pupils feel known and valued. The art room is organised with clear labelling (pictures and words) showing where materials are located, reducing anxiety about accessing resources. Consistent routines including settling activities, clear learning objectives, and structured lesson formats provide predictability that supports regulation.
We recognise that creative expression can be vulnerable, and some pupils may have negative associations with art from previous experiences or fear of failure. We respond with patience and understanding, celebrating effort and experimentation rather than only finished products. Mistakes are explicitly valued as essential parts of the creative process, creating a culture where pupils feel safe to take risks and try new techniques.
Pupils have significant choice and control throughout their artistic journey. They choose their preferred mediums, techniques and approaches within structured frameworks. In Year 7, pupils choose what to include in their silhouettes and which superhero to create. In Year 8, they select their own t-shirt designs, animal for the Elephant Parade project, and pottery designs. At GCSE, pupils choose their own artists to investigate, themes to explore, and materials to experiment with, maintaining agency over their creative direction.
We build trusting relationships through personalised feedback, one-to-one support during skill development, small group work based on confidence levels, and celebrating individual progress. Regular opportunities for self-evaluation and peer assessment using constructive language help pupils develop critical thinking whilst maintaining a supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere. Staff are trained to recognise when pupils are becoming dysregulated and provide alternative activities, regulation breaks, or adapted tasks as needed.
Typical Lesson Structure
Lessons begin with Settling and Introduction (5 minutes) where pupils enter calmly, understand expectations, and see clear learning objectives displayed. This provides predictability and allows pupils to prepare mentally for creative work. Demonstration and Modelling (10-15 minutes) follows, with the teacher demonstrating new techniques using think-aloud to make artistic decision-making visible, showing examples of artists' work or previous student work, and explaining materials, tools and processes clearly with visual supports.
Guided Practice (10-15 minutes) has pupils begin experimenting with techniques with teacher support, working through initial stages with scaffolding and immediate feedback, and developing confidence before independent work. Independent Creative Work (20-25 minutes) allows pupils to work on their projects at their own pace with differentiated support, choosing their mediums and techniques within the project framework, accessing resources independently, and receiving targeted support from teacher and LSA as needed.
Reflection and Evaluation (5-10 minutes) reviews learning through "What techniques did we explore today?", allows pupils to share their work or explain their creative choices, addresses any challenges or questions, and previews the next lesson. Pupils regularly photograph their work, complete self-assessments, and engage in peer feedback using constructive language. Regulation breaks and movement opportunities are built in as needed throughout.
Communication, Literacy and Numeracy Development
Every lesson includes opportunities to develop literacy through learning art-specific vocabulary including primary colours, secondary colours, tessellation, silhouette, portrait, collage, medium, technique, composition, perspective, proportion, texture, pattern, Aboriginal, mosaic, stencil, printmaking, ceramics, evaluation. Vocabulary is explicitly taught through visual demonstrations, written labels and displays, and regular use in discussions and written annotations.
For GCSE pupils, literacy develops significantly through written annotation demonstrating ability to record ideas, observations and insights, research and analysis of artists' work and approaches, evaluation of their own work identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and presenting personal, informed responses using appropriate artistic vocabulary. Pupils learn to articulate their creative thinking, justify their choices, and communicate their artistic intentions clearly.
Numeracy skills are embedded throughout including counting and identifying numbers of shapes, colours and mediums, measuring and scaling for designs and templates, understanding proportions and ratios in mixing colours, calculating dimensions for printmaking and pottery, and working with 2D and 3D shapes understanding their properties. Year 7 pupils count different mediums in the room, identify how many shapes are in tessellated patterns, and distinguish between 2D and 3D models. Year 8 pupils work with measurements for screen printing, calculate quantities for recipes in pottery glazing, and understand scaling for t-shirt designs.
Alternative recording methods ensure all pupils can demonstrate their learning including verbal explanations of creative choices, photographic documentation of work in progress and finished pieces, practical demonstration of techniques, peer discussions about artistic decisions, and visual presentations rather than only written work.
SMSC, British Values and Modern Britain
SMSC: Art lessons explore moral and ethical issues through understanding cultural appropriation and respectful engagement with indigenous art, environmental awareness through natural habitats and sustainability, social themes including healthy eating and public art's community impact, and personal identity and self-expression through "All About Me" projects. Pupils consider how art reflects and shapes society, communicates important messages, and provides therapeutic outlets for processing experiences.
British Values: Democracy explored through collaborative decision-making in group projects, voting on designs, and contributing ideas respectfully; rule of law through understanding copyright, respecting artists' work, and following safety procedures with tools and materials; individual liberty through making creative choices, developing personal artistic voices, and expressing individual perspectives; tolerance through engaging with diverse artistic traditions, understanding different cultural contexts, and celebrating varied creative approaches.
Modern Britain: Understanding contemporary art practices, digital media, diverse cultural influences in British art, and careers in creative industries prepares pupils for informed citizenship and contemporary life. Projects like the Elephant Parade connect to real-world charitable initiatives, whilst exploring British artists including Hockney and studying local contexts like Essex coastlines develops understanding of British cultural identity and landscape.
Curriculum Impact
Academic Progress and Achievement
Our progressive curriculum from foundational skills through to Edexcel GCSE Art ensures every pupil can achieve recognition for their progress. Ongoing observation during practical work, self and peer assessment using success criteria, photographic documentation of work in progress and finished pieces, written evaluations and annotations, and teacher feedback focused on specific improvements provide formative assessment. End-of-project evaluations, portfolio development showing progression, questionnaires assessing understanding, and GCSE coursework meeting assessment objectives demonstrate summative achievement. Pupils progress from basic colour mixing and simple techniques to sophisticated investigations of artists, experimental use of diverse materials, and personal, meaningful creative responses, with GCSE qualifications supporting post-16 transitions into creative industries or further education.
Personal Development and Confidence
Building confidence using various mediums and developing a flexible mindset towards learning creates self-esteem and demonstrates that creativity is accessible to all. Successfully completing practical tasks—from mixing colours to creating self-portraits to building 3D models to developing GCSE portfolios—creates a sense of achievement and pride. Understanding that artistic ability develops through effort and experimentation, and that mistakes are valuable learning opportunities, builds growth mindset and resilience. Safe, supportive environments where individual creative voices are celebrated reduce anxiety about artistic performance and encourage risk-taking.
Communication and Creative Expression
Pupils progress from basic use of materials to sophisticated experimentation with diverse techniques, with improved ability to articulate creative choices, evaluate work critically using appropriate vocabulary, and express personal ideas visually. Understanding how to use art as a vehicle for self-expression provides therapeutic outlets for processing feelings and experiences. Systematic development of technical skills, critical thinking, and visual communication prepares pupils for creative careers and lifelong engagement with visual arts.
Preparation for Life Beyond School
Practical artistic skills, understanding of artists and movements, portfolio development and critical evaluation capabilities prepare pupils for further education, training or employment in creative industries including art, design, media, fashion, textiles, photography, and beyond. Understanding how to develop ideas through investigation, refine work through experimentation, present professional portfolios, and communicate visually equips pupils with transferable skills valued across many sectors. Edexcel GCSE Art provides recognised achievement that supports progression to college courses, apprenticeships or employment in creative fields, while transferable skills in problem-solving, resilience, attention to detail, and creative thinking support success across all areas of life.
Monitoring and Evaluation
We measure impact through ongoing observation during practical work, self and peer assessment using constructive language, photographic documentation showing progression, written evaluations and annotations, teacher feedback on technique and creative development, end-of-project questionnaires and reflections, portfolio quality demonstrating range of skills and personal voice, GCSE coursework meeting assessment objectives, pupil voice (feedback about engagement, confidence and enjoyment of creative work), and evidence that pupils choose to continue with art beyond requirements, develop personal artistic interests, and successfully transition to appropriate post-16 pathways including creative courses or careers.
