The Creative Arts Department brings together Art, Music and Photography in a creative and enjoyable environment providing a broad and balanced Creative Curriculum at Key Stage three, four and five. We aim to develop creative, curious, independent and reflective students who enjoy taking risks through experimenting in Art, Music and Photography.
Vision Statement – Art
Through our decisions about the way we structure learning and the content we cover, we aim to provide a balanced art, music and drama curriculum. We want our students to engage with creativity and creative thinking through a range of genres, mediums, and influences. We want pupils to feel both excited about, and confident enough to; express themselves freely, to perform, to talk about their own work and the work of others.
Students are encouraged to have not only a love and enjoyment for creativity in our subjects but also the language, depth of knowledge and drive be successful in their learning. Through exciting experiences in Creative Arts, students are encouraged to learn skills that help to develop lifelong learners and competent citizens in the wider world.
Key Stage 3 – Art
Implementation
Our learning is all built and predicated on the expectations of the National Curriculum model. This is then also developed out further, to ensure a depth and breadth to the content that is covered.
Planning for lessons and schemes of learning is rooted in an understanding of Cognitive Science, with each and every lesson planned so that there are opportunities for:
-Retrieval of prior learning and clear sequencing through the SOL
-Building on and developing skills using scaffolding to support all to do this.
-Opportunities to check understanding with the use of MWB, cold calling and subject experts
-Modelling and using examples of excellence to aspire all to make progress
Impact
In Key Stage 3, ongoing assessment of learning in Art is undertaken each lesson. Pupils are given clear verbal feedback during lessons on progress in specific tasks.
Following assessment, we make sure that pupils are given the opportunity to refine and improve their work which then enables pupils to apply their feedback and understand both how progress is granular and deliberate practice is essential.
Art
Y7 Intent
Over the course of Year 7, our students will study and learn the following:-
| Topic/Study Focus | Knowledge/Skill focus |
| Skills booklet and Formal Elements | Shape, tone, and printmaking |
| Michael Craig Martin and Everyday Objects | Color Theory, Artist Analysis |
| Butterflies | Installation Art, Colour Mixing, Pattern, Batik |
| Cultural Masks | Artist Analysis, 3D making, mixed media |
Y8 Intent
Over the course of Year 8, our students will study and learn the following:-
| Topic/Study Focus | Knowledge/Skill focus |
| Poppies and flowers | Drawing and clay 3D work |
| Under the microscope | Experimentation with mixed media, artist analysis |
| Food glorious food | Observation drawing and 3D construction, artist analysis |
| Portraiture | Artist Analysis, proportion, tonal pencil and painting |
Vision Statement – Music
At Yavneh College, we aim for all students to confidently create, perform, and evaluate music with purpose and enthusiasm. Through the study of Music, students develop a lifelong appreciation of musical expression across diverse contexts and gain the confidence to present themselves as performers and composers. Students strengthen collaboration and teamwork skills while working towards shared creative goals, and develop empathy, self-awareness, and essential life skills such as time management, resilience, and conflict resolution.
Key Stage 3 – Music
In Key Stage 3, students receive two 65-minute music lessons per fortnight. The curriculum provides a balanced and progressive exploration of performing, composing, and listening/appraising through a wide range of musical styles. Lessons integrate theoretical understanding with practical music-making, enabling students to develop musical knowledge through hands-on experience. Students are encouraged to reflect critically on their own work and the work of others, developing communication, creativity, and research skills.
Students build strong foundational skills in singing, percussion, and ensemble performance, progressing from melody and rhythm in Year 7 to harmony, texture, extended composition, and ensemble work by Year 8. Listening and appraising are closely linked to composition and performance, allowing students to develop musical literacy and cultural capital through engagement with a wide range of genres, traditions, and historical contexts.
Vision Statement – Photography
GCSE Photography offers a creative pathway for students who want to express ideas visually without relying on traditional methods of art such as drawing and painting. Through the camera, digital processes and experimental techniques, students learn to observe the world differently, develop their own artistic voice, and communicate meaningful ideas with confidence. The course nurtures creativity, independence and visual literacy, preparing students for further study in art, media and creative industries.
Key Stage 4 – Photography
Implementation
In year 9 we look at the fundamentals of photography including the main elements of photographic composition and the formal elements of art e.g colour theory, pattern, texture. We then move on to camera skills and the golden triangle of shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Students learn how to complete a piece of artist research, how to analyse an image and annotate their own work using creative vocabulary. They then move on to digital editing and physical manipulation of images. Students look at photographers such as Karl Blossfeldt, Steve McCurry and Suzanne Saroff and begin to build a portfolio of their own work presented in contact sheets, selecting successful images and detailing their editing process.
Year 10 builds on this introductory work and focusses on completing 2 specific projects using given titles and getting familiar with the process and layout of a project. Students learn more about layout and presentation of work and complete an end of year 10 hour exam to get them used to the mock and final exams in year 11.
In year 11 students complete a further project, the externally set task and produce their final outcome during their 10 hour exam.
Impact
In Key Stage 4, assessment for learning in Photography takes place on an ongoing basis during every lesson. Pupils receive clear and purposeful verbal feedback linked to specific tasks. Following this feedback, pupils are given structured opportunities to refine and improve their work, enabling them to apply guidance effectively and to understand that progress is gradual, detailed, and dependent on deliberate practice.
