Art & Design

Developing Moral Capital

Our Moral capital in Art allows students to have the opportunity to understand how Art can influence and reflect themes of morality. In Art we explore moral dilemmas and moral challenges in society. Through the lens of surrealist art, we look sensitively at the issues faced by LGBT communities and ensure that the Art space is a welcoming, and inclusive space. 

When participating in curricular and extracurricular activities, students frequently critique their own and each other's work and this is done with sensitivity and respect, understanding the impact of our words on others. 

Developing Social Capital

In Art we aim to ensure all students are able to develop their self-awareness and understanding of their place in the world. This is reflected in how we share and display work, giving value to their artistic contributions at TTC and celebrating it publicly wherever possible. Students in Art will understand and be encouraged to develop their relationships with each other and with their teachers to talk openly and honestly about their experiences in Art. Paired and group work to build discussion around challenging and engaging topics and share their views feature regularly in our lessons to build students’ confidence and resilience. Students are encouraged to engage in a range of art competitions, both locally and nationally to develop their confidence and build resilience in a competitive environment.

Developing Cultural Capital

Art naturally lends itself to developing cultural awareness and capital and at TTC, this means students exploring a range of artistic works and influences from around the world. Art history helps students to understand the development of Art and how it influences and reflects society through time. One such opportunity is the study of Native American art in Year 8 where they delve into the values and belief systems which are inherent to Native American art. Students are able to experiment with a range of different art forms whilst learning about the influences on artistic movements and patterns, including key historic events. After school clubs, home learning, gallery visits and artist visits to the school help students to immerse themselves in other cultures but also to understand their place in sustaining an appreciation of art throughout their lives. 

Developing Knowledge Capital

Our Art curriculum is designed with rich opportunities for all students to be able to succeed in Art and this success takes many forms. They learn skills and concepts  such as drawing, proportion, media and colour theory. Students at TTC are able to explore and develop areas of interest to them - for some students, it is the development of their fine art skills in painting; for others it is exploring Art through the medium of sculpture, but for all, it is the development of their understanding and appreciation of Art as expression. Students develop skills which test their physical ability in terms of control, their creativity in realising an idea and their evaluation skills in being able to make critical judgements about their own and others’ work. Students produce work that is visually stimulating and thought-provoking. 

Those who wish to extend their knowledge and experience further are able to engage with our full range of extracurricular clubs and activities at Key Stages 3 and 4.  At Key Stage 5, our students develop an appreciation of Fine Art and their work is grander in scope and scale, where they are able to capitalise on the opportunities they have experienced in their lower school and GCSE study. 

Developing Community Capital

Extracurricular clubs across the Creative and Performing Arts allow students to work with  students from diverse backgrounds. By doing so students learn to accept and respect cultural differences. Students develop the ability to tell between right and wrong through discussion and debate in class, particularly when exploring the experiences of different artists and communities over time.  We encourage purposeful participation in activities and events throughout the year to ensure our students are active and cognisant of their place in the community and feel able to use their voice for the good of themselves and others.