The exceptionally high standard of work speaks for itself

The structure of Art Provision at The Blue School

All Students Study Art until the end of year 9. Students can then choose to take Art as one of their GCSE Options. Historically Art has been a popular choice and we are delighted that on average approximately half of the year group select it for GCSE.

As you will see from our Achievement Page, the Department has an excellent record of Exam success.

Achievement Page

KS3

Year 7, Year 8 and Year9

Art at The Blue begins in Year 7 with establishing basic skills such as pencil shading, paint colour theory and blending and a basic understanding of different mediums. This is taught both by exploring other Artists work and by hands-on, classroom based experimentation.

Exploring Artists techniques and processes continues as the backbone of the skill learning journey. In Year 8 Students are able to experiment with lino and mono printing, 3D sculpting, portraiture and the use of pattern and collage.

By Year 9 charcoal and ink are used for large scale dynamic drawings, still life is set as a challenge, collagraph printing is also added to their skill set. By the end students are expected to be able to create a unique final piece by blending the techniques of two artists chosen by them.

This is the foundation for the step up to GCSE.

GCSE

The Course is divided as follows:

IDENTITY

Identity Sketchbooks

Pencil Portrait

Identity Final Pieces

ENRICHMENT

Wells Walking Trip 2021

Anthony Gormley at Wells Cathedral Schools' Workshops and Trails

Our off site visits have been a victim of the Covid era so it was with great excitement that we embarked upon our first Art Trip in over 18 months.

Wells & Mendip Museum and Wells Cathedral have teamed up to offer Educational packages for students from September 2021. We were very proud to be the first school to be able to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity and the trip offered our GCSE students at great vehicle to launch their Environment Project.

This cohort would ordinarily have visited Bristol in the Summer Term, unfortunately that trip had to be cancelled, so we jumped at the chance to make the most of the more local facilities.

The Cathedral is an architectural wonder which was brought to life with the help of expert guides. The Museum then opened its' doors to nearly 100 of our students who have previously ignored or not even known of it's existence. We were delighted to see that the students embraced the chance to learn about their town and their heritage.

In contrast to these two environments, we went on to tour the Sculpture Trail in the Bishop's Palace Gardens, marveling, not only at the sculptures but also at the horticultural delights within.

Sketchbooks were sketched in, photos were taken, observational skills were honed, new experiences were embraced and a broader understanding of 'Environment' was certainly absorbed.

The Bristol Trip

In June all Yr10 Art Students are taken on a Bristol Trip. This day out involves a visit to Bristol Museum and the Botanical Gardens. Sketchbooks are filled with sketches of natural forms and pattern, textures and other sources of inspiration.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment Sketchbook

EXAM

Exam Sketchbook

GCSE Exam Final Pieces

A LEVEL

The Course is divided as follows:

Loosening-Up Projects (Michaelmas Term)

Portrait Not a Portrait

Abstract Monday

Sculpture

Course Work 1 (January)

Balance

Course Work 2 (April)

Structure

Enrichment

London Trip

In late January all Yr 12 and Yr13 are taken by coach to London for a 3 day Art Trip. Staying in a youth hostel near St. Pauls, right in the centre of the city, we are able to easily access many of the Gallery's in a short period of time.

Starting with The National and The National Portrait Gallery, the trip will take in Tate Britain, Tate Modern, The Saatchi Gallery, The Serpentine and any other Gallery that is showing at the time, that can be fitted into the schedule. Students were lucky enough to see the Picasso and Paper Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts last year and before that the Basquiat Show at the Barbican in 2018.

Life Drawing

After school sessions are run by each member of Teaching Staff to give A' level students the opportunity to work from a Life Model. These are 2 hour sessions that allow students to experiment with Mark Making and gestural drawing. Often the work created during these sessions goes on to inform the final piece.

ANDELLI ART Exhibition, January 2022

The shadow cast by covid, Christmas and New Year provided a perfect backdrop for a vibrant, hopeful exhibition by the young artists at the Blue School. Andelli Art, in Wells, generously hosted the event this year. The excitement and warmth of the evening banished the blues and gave everyone a reminder of what life used to be like, offering a beacon to guide us into the post covid era.

Diversity reigned at the show, with individuality and purpose embodied in every piece. Empowering and enabling students of this age to find their own personal voice is not easy but the show demonstrated that our 6th Formers are well on their way to becoming clearly defined individuals.

Andelli Art is a wonderfully informal yet highly professional environment for students, their families and the wider public to enjoy the buzz of a public exhibition. The energy created by the show is an invaluable boost for all.

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St Ives Trip - February 2022

On alternate years, a trip will be held to St Ives, the beautiful coastal, creative hub of the South West. Students will visit Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Gallery as well as the many other smaller galleries around town. Sketching of seascapes and the town and harbour will also be part of the trip. En route to St Ives we stop at Falmouth University and they host a day of Workshops and tours. This is a fantastic way for our students to discover what they have to offer.

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Exam Final Piece

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