Art, Design & Technology, Home Economics

S1/S2

Pupils will cover a wide range of topics to build upon  their skills in drawing, painting and construction.  Pupils will be introduced to a range of materials and techniques which will allow them to develop their creativity.

 Artists and Designers shall be introduced within each topic to allow pupils to appreciate and reflect upon their own work and the work of others.  ICT shall be used effectively to research and investigate the work of Artists and Designers and also allow pupils to gather appropriate research information when being introduced to each unit of work. Topics include:

The Visual Elements My Aspirations (self portraiture) Clay Mug Design and Build

Fantasy & Imagination Landscape Painting Still Life Built Environment Eco House

S3

This S3 Course will give you the opportunity to focus on the study of Art & Design in an engaging and enjoyable way.

You will have 2 periods each week where you will expand your knowledge and skill in working towards presentation in S4 at N4 or N5 Level. 

The course will cover an Expressive and Design unit which will give further insight into  the format used for folio presentation in S4.

Senior phase

Art N4/5

Pupils produce a Design and Expressive folio of work which is based on personal choice.  The folio of work is backed up with research into designers and artists appropriate to the chosen theme.

In N4 The units are assessed internally on a pass or fail basis.

In N5 the Design and Expressive folios are externally marked and each have a 40% weighting on the overall mark.

A written exam gauges knowledge and understanding of designers and artists and is worth 20%

Art Higher

Pupils produce a Design and Expressive folio of work which is based on personal choice.  The folio of work is backed up with research into designers and artists appropriate to the chosen theme.

The Design and Expressive folios are externally marked and each have a 38% weighting on the overall mark.

A written exam gauges knowledge and understanding of Designers and Artists and is worth 24%

Art Advanced Higher

Pupils produce their portfolio over an extended period of time. This allows them to develop and resolve their work before presenting it for assessment. Sketchbook pages are included in the overall allocation.

 All work is externally marked by the SQA as a complete folio of work.  The course assessment is broken down into these sections;

Practical Expressive Portfolio Minimum of 8 A1 Sheets Maximum of 18 A1 sheets = 64% of overall mark.

Critical Analysis 1700-2000 maximum words. 2 chosen Artists to inspire portfolio artwork must show analysis of how this links to their portfolio and evaluation of the concepts of the Artists’ works. = 30% of overall mark

Evaluation- Maximum 400 words. Evaluation impact of creative choices relating to specific issues in the portfolio process. Evidence of theme and creative intentions. = 6%

Skills needed for the Art Courses

• Producing relevant expressive investigative research that demonstrates an individual and personalised response to their stimuli.

• Applying in-depth understanding of artists’ work and practice when creatively responding to their expressive stimuli and developing expressive ideas and artwork

• Skillfully and creatively using selected art materials, techniques and/or technology for expressive effect

• Producing sustained lines of development

• Planning, exploring and experimenting within the creative process

• Discussing the impact of relevant contexts through analysing the features of a selected artwork

• Evaluating their creative decisions and expressing justified personal opinions on their own work

These courses support career pathway for Fashion and Textiles, Graphic Design, Spatial Design, 3D Product Design, Digital/Multi Media, Photography, Fine Art, Arranging and Display. 

S1 & S2

Pupils who choose to take forward any of the D&T subjects in S1 and S2 will be provided with the opportunities to develop their knowledge & understanding of needs and how they are met, skills in designing and making, in order to meet those needs, and to develop informed attitudes to social and environmental issues.

• The Design and Manufacture units in S1 and S2 will introduce pupils to the skills of designing, making and evaluation. The course will allow learners to show their creativity, but also combine this creative side with the study of the social and environmental implications of design.

•  The Graphic Communication units in S1 and S2 will allow learners to gain skills in reading, interpreting and creating graphical information using a variety of mediums and techniques. Pupils will gain skills and experiences with Technical drawing, 3D modelling and CAD software.

• The Engineering Science aspects of the broad general education will introduce pupils to a range of engineering principles such as electronics, energy and structures. Pupils will manipulate software and equipment to simulate real – life scenarios.

• The Practical Woodworking components of the course will provide Pupils with the opportunity to develop practical woodworking skills, practical creativity and problem solving. Learners will also develop an understanding of safe working practices in a workshop environment, and an awareness of sustainability issues in a woodworking context.

Pupils need to become skilled users of a wide range of technologies, and learning in the D&T department equips them with these skills. Technological activities can contribute strongly to the development of problem solving skills, furthermore they promote creative thinking and encourage children and young people to make connections across different kinds of learning and so become innovative, critical thinkers.

Pupils who choose to take D&T in S3 will have a breadth of experiences within the Technology outcomes. This course structure will allow pupils to progress to a more indepth experience of  Graphic Communication or Practical Woodwork.

S3

Graphic Communication

In S3 Graphic Communication, you will cover two main units with several tasks in each.  The two main units are 3D Graphics and 2D Graphics.  

Within each of these units you will carry out a combination of manual and computer aided (Autodesk Inventor and Photoshop) tasks which fall into one of the following three areas: Preliminary Graphics, Production Graphics or Promotional Graphics.  

Practical Woodwork

In S3 Woodworking skills, you will cover three units of work which will set you up for the transition into N4 or N5 in S4.  You will use a variety of tools and machinery to manufacture a model in each:

Flat Frame Construction Carcase Construction Machining and Finishing

Safety of all pupils is paramount in this subject and anyone deemed unsafe or a potential risk to themselves or others will not have the privilege of using the workshops.

Senior phase

Graphic Communication N4/5

Pupils will carry out a series of units based around computer graphics and manual graphics.  These units are designed to give them the skills required to carry out their course assignment as well as the theory required to complete the exam successfully.

 N4 pupils will carry out an Added Value Unit which will count as 100% of their final grade.  N5 pupils will carry out a timed course assignment over 8 hours (approx 10 periods) which will count as 34% of their final grade, they will also sit an exam (80 marks) which will count as 66% of their final grade.

Pupils need to have an interest in computing and have good skills level across different software packages. A willingness to develop sketching and rendering skills is also useful. 

This course supports career pathways for architecture, civil engineering, building surveying, quantity surveying and animation.  

Graphic Communication Higher

Pupils will carry out a series of tasks based around 2D and 3D graphics Pupils will apply the skills covered in these 2 units to produce graphics with visual impact that communicate information effectively.  These are also designed to give them the skills required to carry out their course assignment as well as the theory required to complete the exam successfully. 

Pupils will carry out a timed course assignment over 8 hours (approx 10 periods) worth a total of 50 marks which will count as 36% of their final grade, they will also sit an exam (90 marks) which will count as 64% of their final grade.

Pupils should have achieved the N5 Graphic Communication course or an equivalent qualification prior to beginning this course. This course would suit pupils with an interest in both digital graphics such as 3D modelling software and image manipulation packages such as Photoshop as well as a willingness to further develop their sketching and rendering skills.

This course supports career pathways for architecture, civil engineering, building surveying, quantity surveying and animation.

Practical Woodwork N4/5 

Pupils will complete three individual units of work.  The pupils will use technical drawings, hand tools, power tools and machines to complete these.  Each of these units will target different areas of woodworking which are:

Flat Frame Construction Carcase Construction Machining and Finishing

 After the units are compete the pupils will be given their course assignment (Added Value Unit for N4) this is a woodworking model which combines the skills which have been acquired in the three units of work.  This should be completed independently and will count towards 70% of the pupils overall grade (100% for N4).  The N5 pupils will also sit a 60 mark exam paper which will make up the other 30% of their overall grade.

The pupil must follow the simple instructions from the teacher based on safety in the workshop. The pupil needs to be able to measure accurately and convert units of measurement into mm.  Good hand to eye coordination is essential for the precision and control of hand tools and machinery. 

This course supports career pathways for all trades, construction work and further education courses, apprenticeships in the trades.

Learners will develop their understanding of nutrition and a healthy diet. They will acquire knowledge and skills to make healthy food choices and understand how a healthy diet links to their health. They will be encouraged to develop an appreciation through tasting, selecting, and evaluating food, that eating can be an enjoyable activity and understand the role of food within social, religious, and cultural contexts. They will explore how the dietary needs of individuals and groups vary through life stages and individual needs.

Learners develop knowledge and understanding of safe and hygienic practices and how to apply these in practical activities and everyday routines. They will develop awareness that food practices and choices depend on many factors including availability, sustainability, season, cost, religious beliefs, culture, peer pressure, advertising, and the media. 

Through childcare they will learn about child development, about play and working in early learning settings and about care of children. They will learn lots of life skills such as budgeting, consumer awareness, problem solving, time management, self-management, and decision making.

Courses being offered in 2021/22

S1 Home Economics (Broad General Education)

S2 Home Economics (Broad General Education)

S3 Food & Health (Broad General Education)

S3 Life Skills & Childcare (Broad General Education)

S4-S6 Practical Cookery (National 4/National 5)

S4-S6 Health & Food Technology (National 5/Higher)

S4-S6 Skills for Work, Early Learning & Childcare (National 4/National 5)

S4-S6 Skills & Cooking for Life