Art, Craft & Design & Photography

Head of Department: 

Curriculum Intent

Our curriculum is built on the belief that every child can achieve extraordinary things. We are relentless in our aspiration for all students, ensuring that every child is equipped with the powerful knowledge, character, and confidence needed to thrive in school and beyond. Guided by our core values—Aim High, Take Responsibility, Be Kind—we create an inclusive and academically ambitious environment where excellence is expected and achieved by all.

We provide a knowledge-rich, coherently sequenced, and culturally empowering curriculum, ensuring students develop deep understanding, intellectual curiosity, and a strong sense of self-worth. Through explicit teaching, purposeful practice, and a warm–strict culture, students learn to take responsibility for their learning, their conduct, and the contributions they make to the school community.

Alongside rigorous academic study, we prioritise character development, empathy, and citizenship. Our curriculum ensures every student feels seen, supported, and valued. We aim for our students not only to succeed academically, but to leave us as kind, resilient, and articulate individuals who contribute positively to society and pursue ambitious futures with confidence.

As a school we have 6 principles for curriculum design 

• Knowledge 
• Mastery
• Eloquence
• Equity 
• Excellence
• Character

At Brakenhale, we show our students that the creative arts are for everyone. We support the development of our students as creators, designers, and artists by challenging them to innovate rather than just imitate. Our curriculum is built around the Creative Process, moving students through cycles of inspiration, experimentation, and refinement. We challenge the misconception that "creativity" is an innate gift, instead teaching it as a rigorous discipline of thinking.

Our lessons follow a clear sequence: after explaining a new concept or technique, our teachers model the application—intentionally demonstrating how to navigate mistakes—before asking our young creatives to do the same. This approach ensures that students see "failure" as a necessary stage of the creative process.

In Years 7 to 9, students build a strong foundation by learning essential, hands-on skills in drawing, textiles, 3D design and graphics. Rather than just copying, they learn to apply concepts practically—for instance, progressing from drawing flat shapes to creating them in three dimensions.  As they move into Years 10 and 11, students choose to specialise in subjects they are passionate about—such as Art, Craft and Design, or Photography, where the focus shifts from teacher-led practice to independent, real-world projects. In these GCSE courses, students learn to bring their own unique ideas to life, whether by using digital camera technology, or combining historical styles with modern techniques to build their own creative portfolios. 

This progression encourages our students to see the vital links between the Arts and the wider world. The ability to manage a project from concept to completion, driven by their own interests while constantly evaluating and refining their work, is an invaluable skill set. These competencies prepare them for Key Stage 5 and any future career that demands adaptability, professional rigor, and original thinking.

Subject Curriculum Aims

1. Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9): Establishing the Creative Foundation

The primary aim of KS3 is to build a robust, common visual language and demystify the creative process.

• Demystifying Creativity: To challenge the misconception that artistic talent is an innate gift, instead teaching it as a rigorous discipline of thinking.
• Building a Common Visual Vocabulary: To equip all students with foundational skills across drawing, textiles, 3D design, and graphics.
• Normalising Iterative "Failure": To model and teach the application of new techniques in a way that encourages students to see mistakes not as failure, but as necessary stages of the creative cycle.
• Progressing from 2D to 3D: To shift students from simply copying or "drawing an object" to understanding how light, form, and space function in three dimensions

2. Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11): Developing Autonomy and Synthesis

The primary aim of KS4 is to transition students from foundational, teacher-led skill development toward personal, independent voice.

• Pathway Specialisation: To allow students to specialise in areas that align with their personal interests and passions (such as Art, Craft and Design, or Photography).
• Creative Autonomy: To move focus away from basic exercises toward portfolio development, self-directed synthesis, and personal inquiry.
• Contextual Integration: To teach students to actively link historical art movements and contemporary practices directly to their own work to produce sophisticated visual responses.
• Rigorous Portfolio Construction: To develop highly resolved practical outcomes alongside structured visual and written analysis.

3. Key Stage 5 (Years 12–13): Professional Rigor and Authentic Practice

The ultimate aim of KS5 is to prepare students to work, think, and execute projects with the independence of professional artists, craftspeople, and designers.

• Project Management Mastery: To ensure students can direct a complex project independently from its initial conceptual spark to its physical or digital completion.
• Active Risk-Taking: To foster a studio culture where students take bold creative risks, formulate their own visual intentions, and deeply investigate diverse sources.
• Vocational and Academic Readiness: To build professional adaptability, critical thinking, and intellectual rigor, preparing students for higher education or careers in the creative industries.

The Ultimate Overarching Aim

At every level, the curriculum seeks to foster Authentic Artistic Practice. By blending technical literacy (substantive knowledge) with reflective problem-solving (disciplinary thinking), the curriculum empowers young people to become adaptive, original thinkers who can confidently shape the visual world around them.