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The Creative Arts faculty is a high energy and stimulating environment that has high expectations of all students, provides opportunities to develop their skills and talents and continually celebrates their success throughout the year.
The Arts helps students develop their skills in preparation for a potential career in the Creative Industries and a variety of transferable skills that are recognisable as vital in the workplace:
  • Developing creativity and independent thought
  • Learning to express themselves
  • Understanding and celebrating different cultures
  • Developing their social, emotional and intellectual well-being 
The Arts aim to develop excellence in Irvine Royal Academy's young people by developing engagement in learning and self-esteem. In Creative Arts there is a wide range of subjects that have their own skills and tradition but also share common ground since they are all concerned with engaging young people in the acts of making, creating, problem-solving, responding, appraising and evaluating.
The Creative Arts Faculty celebrates success through texts home, end of session postcards, and regular celebrations of individual and class success on Twitter. We also display ‘Artwork and Photography of the Month’, and will be establishing a ‘Musician of the Month’ very soon!    

 

Christmas Concert 2021

Click here to watch our 'Virtual Christmas 2021'

 

 

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Music / Music Technology:

Mrs L Cook – Faculty Head of Creative Arts

Mrs K Clark

Mr C Hill

Mrs E Lamont

Mrs K Lowrie

Art & Design & Photography :

Mrs K Reid

Miss L Cadden

Mrs B Mitchem

Mrs D Donaghy

Miss S Murray

Visiting Music Instructors:

Mr O Costar – Cello – Tuesday

Mr S Rankin – Woodwind – Tuesday

Mr J Walsingham – Piano – Wednesday

Mr J Boax  – Brass – Friday

                    Mr R Watson – Upper Strings – Friday 

Mr F Bolam – Guitar – Friday   

The Creative Arts Faculty teaches the following subjects:

Art and Design 

Photography

Music

Music Tech

Art & Design

Course Overview

The following links give an overview of the courses and contents offered in Art & Design:

Department Overview

BGE Art & Design Creative Journey

bge 2023 art and design curriculum map.JPG

S1

Pupils will learn all about the visual elements and will complete work by exploring a range of different mediums and materials including watercolour paints, acrylic paint, pencils, felt tip pens, oil pastels, clay and printing. The units covered in S1 Art & Design are:

Unit 1:Visual Elements introduction

Unit 2: Portraiture - Identity Project & Creating a self-portrait

Unit 3: Still Life - Basic shapes and composition understanding

Unit 4: Design - Clay Chang Fish

All 4 units will covered at various points throughout the year to accommodate all classes and the sharing of rooms and resources.

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S2

Pupils will continue to learn about the visual elements and will complete work by exploring a range of different mediums and materials including watercolour paints, acrylic paint, pencils, felt tip pens, oil pastels, clay and printing. The units covered in S2 Art & Design are:

Unit 1: Expressive - Landscapes - David Hockney

Unit 2: Expressive Still life - Vanitas Life and death 

Unit 3: Graphics/Printing - Packaging, shop fronts, posters (teachers choice) 

Unit 4: Design - Clay cupcakes in the style of Wayne Thiebaud

All 4 units will covered at various points throughout the year to accommodate all classes and the sharing of rooms and resources.
 

S3

Pupils will continue to learn about the visual elements and will complete work by exploring a range of different mediums and materials including watercolour paints, acrylic paint, pencils, felt tip pens, oil pastels, clay and printing. S3 units provide more personalisation and choice and pupils will be encouraged to choose their own inspiration. They must complete work from the following categories:

Design – Graphics/Product Design

Design – Textiles/Body Adornment

Expressive – Portraiture

Expressive – Still Life
 

S3 Photography:

bge 2023 photography curriculum map.JPG

Pupils will work through a series of photography ‘shoots’. These shoots will allow young people to develop the key photography skills and techniques that they have learned thus far, such as “Rule of Thirds”, “Viewpoint”, “Exposure”, “Leading Lines” and “Composition”. Young people will learn about professional photographers, using their images to inspire high quality photoshoots. 

Photoshoots will be stored in a shared folder. Pupils will use these photographs to complete their ‘Record of Work’ document which is on google classroom. Literacy skills are key in photography. Using creative writing skills learned in English, pupils will write about their photographs in evaluations of their shoots.
 

N3/N4/N5/H/AdvH

Screen-Shot-2021-09-24-at-18.13.14web.jpgArt & Design:

All pupils from National 3,4,5 and Higher Art & Design will complete 1 expressive and 1 design unit. Pupils choose their own expressive theme and their own design outcome, allowing them to be more creative in how they approach their artwork. 

They can choose from:

Expressive – Portraiture OR Still Life

Design – Graphics (poster/book cover design) OR Textiles/Body Adornment/Costumes

In Advanced Higher pupils will only focus on one area – either expressive or design. Their final project will showcase either still life or a graphic design advertising campaign.

Pupils must also complete written tasks; each pupil will be given a critical booklet at the correct level.


Photography:

The aim of the NPA course, offered in S4, is to develop an understanding of photography in everyday use.

This involves working through some of the creative processes involved in photography and creative media. Students will acquire a basic knowledge and understanding of practical skills when working with photographs, and learn how to create images in two main categories – ‘People’ and ‘Places’. Students will also develop critical thinking skills and seek peer and tutor feedback. Pupils will use their literacy skills to evaluate the work of professional photographers, and their own work.

S4 students will get 4 periods a week to plan, shoot and evaluate their work in outdoor and indoor locations, as well as learning post-production techniques using Adobe Photoshop. There is no exam for this course.

The Higher Photography course, is designed to inspire and challenge students. Candidates are required to represent their personal thoughts visually through the medium of photography in a personal project, which is worth 100 marks and assessed by SQA. The project uses an integrated approach to learning, students plan, develop and produce imaginative photographs.

They also must develop their skills in photographic analysis and techniques for a written exam worth 30 marks. All pupils’ projects are kept on their own Google Drives online so pupils can access the course work from home.

Students use creative and technical problem-solving skills, and are required to reflect critically on their own work and that of others. The learning experiences in the course are flexible and adaptable, with opportunities for personalisation and choice.
 

Supported Study

Art & Design:

After school supported study will run Wednesday and Thursday 3pm to 4pm.

Senior pupils are always welcome to complete their art work in the department at lunch.
 

Photography:

After school supported study will run Wednesday 3pm to 4pm.

Senior pupils are always welcome to complete their projects in the department at lunch.
 

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

Screen-Shot-2021-09-24-at-18.15.57web.jpgThere are specific extra-curricular activities offered in Art and Design on Tuesday 4pm to 5pm. 


Art & Design/Photography:

The Art department has worked with Ayrshire College and their textile department on ‘Fashion Burst’. We are linked with Art UK and have had practicing artists such as Shona Kinloch working with pupils. We are also linked to Widening Participation with GSA.
 

DYW

The faculty are looking forward to working with Miss McNeil (PT DYW) to develop career education and embed this in our courses.
 

My World of Work:

https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/my-career-options/subjects?group=job_profile&subjects=1936

https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/my-career-options/subjects?group=job_profile&subjects=5086
 

The Creative Arts Department teaches Art & Design to Advanced Higher level. We also teach Higher Photography.

 

 

Photography

 

Photography is taught at Higher level.

Course Overview

335x223-Abs1030-red-yellow-brown-mast-reflections.jpgThe following links give an overview of the courses and contents offered in Photography:

S3 Photography

S4 Photography

S5/6 Higher Photography

 

 

 

Music

Course Overview

335x223-Lei2001-mono-light-music-1.jpgS1

Pupils will learn performing skills on Keyboard, Guitar, Ukulele, Drumkit and Tuned Percussion throughout S1. In S2 pupils will choose 2 instruments from those listed above to be their specialist instruments.

We will also cover the following ‘Understanding Music’ units where pupils will learn key musical styles, terms and features:

Unit 1: Musical Notation

Unit 2: Instruments of the Orchestra

Unit 3: Scottish & World Music

Unit 4: Popular Music

 

S2

Pupils will develop performing skills on 2 chosen instruments by playing a variety styles and genres.

We will also cover the following ‘Understanding Music’ units where pupils will learn key musical styles, terms and features:

Unit 1: Musicals

Unit 2: Jazz & Blues

Unit 3: Introduction to Music Technology

Unit 4: Song Writing & Popular Music

 

S3

Pupils will continue to develop performing skills on 2 chosen instruments by playing a variety styles and genres.

We will also cover the following ‘Understanding Music’ units where pupils will learn key musical styles, terms and features:

Unit 1: Scottish Music

Unit 2: Spooky Music

Unit 3: Musical Eras

 

S3 Music Tech

 

 

BGE Creative Journey

BGE Curriculum Map MUSIC.PNG

N5/H/AdvH

  • Performance

Pupils will continue to develop performing skills on 2 chosen instruments by playing a variety styles and genres. They will create a performance programme to be assessed by SQA in March. The timings are as follows:

National 5  between 8 and 8 min 30 across both instruments

Higher  between 12 and 13 mins across both instruments

Advanced Higher – between 18 and 20 mins across both instruments

  • Composition

Pupils will compose a piece of original music showcasing a variety of the musical features covered throughout the understanding course. They are awarded marks for creativity and musical development.

  • Understanding Music

Pupils will also cover the following ‘Understanding Music’ units where pupils will learn key musical styles, terms and features:

National 5 -
Unit 1: Instrumental Music
Unit 2: Vocal Music
Unit 3: Popular Music
Unit 4: Scottish & World Music
Unit 5: Musical Eras

Higher / Advanced Higher -
Unit 1: Early Music
Unit 2: Baroque Music
Unit 3: Classical Music
Unit 4: Romantic Music
Unit 5: Modern Music

 

Music Technology:

 

Pupils will continue to develop their technology skills and apply them to a variety of songs/genres and tasks:

  • Plan with appropriate detail
  • Select and use appropriate input devices
  • Apply appropriate microphone placement and techniques
  • Construct the signal path for multiple inputs
  • Set appropriate input gain and monitoring levels
  • Overdub a track
  • Apply creative EQ
  • Apply time domain and other effects
  • Apply a range of mixing techniques
  • Edit tracks
  • Mix down to an audio master in appropriate formats
  • Use a send track to edit specific parts of a track (HIGHER ONLY)

Pupils’ technology skills will then be applied to a final assignment which contributes to 70% of the final grade for Music Technology.

Pupils will PLAN, IMPLEMENT & EVALUATE their assignment and the final production and session log will be sent to SQA in March/April. T

The assignment briefs will be:

National 5:

Pupils must complete 2 assignments, lasting no more than 3 minutes each.

·       Pupils will complete a radio show, including an opening jingle and a top 5 segment.

·       Pupils will choose to create EITHER a multitrack recording of their chosen song, or an audio book including voices, sound effects and music.

Higher:

Pupils must complete a radio show which lasts no more than 7 minutes. The show must include an electronic multitrack, a multitrack of their chosen song, a top 5 segment and the use of a stereo recording technique.

We will also cover the following ‘Understanding 20th & 21st Century Music’ units where pupils will learn key musical styles, terms and features, as well as technological developments and controls, FX and processes:

Unit 1: Intellectual Property Court Case

Unit 2: Controls, FX and Processes

Unit 3: Styles

 

Music Links

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/iroyal_creative

Google Classroom:

All classes have an active Google Classroom Class – codes have been shared with pupils for their relevant class/teacher.

Listening Revision at all levels:

https://ataea.co.uk/index.php/Welcome

https://mymusiconline.co.uk/

National 5 Music:

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47391.html

Higher Music:

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47895.html

Advanced Higher Music:

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48450.html

National 5 Music Technology:

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/56950.html

Higher Music Technology:

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/56951.html

 

Supported Study

Senior pupils are always welcome to practice in the music department at lunch and / or after school when working towards their SQA performance exam.
 

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

Currently we are offering the following musical activities:

Monday

Musical Theatre (after school)

Tuesday 

Keyboard Club

Wednesday

Ukulele Club

Drum Skills (S2 upwards)

Thursday     

Vocal Ensemble              

 

 

Partnerships/DYW Links

Over the years the faculty has created a strong partnership with the Harbour Arts Centre. Every year we have a concert in the HAC celebrating the work of pupils from Art and Music. This is something that we cannot wait to continue once it is safe to do so again! At this time many other partnerships have been put on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions but we look forward to welcoming partners into our new faculty to provide the young people with as many opportunities as possible.

The music department also work closely with the North Ayrshire Instrumental Service and the Irvine Rotary Club to give our young people even more opportunities to perform.


DYW

The faculty are looking forward to working with Miss McNeil (PT DYW) to develop career education and embed this in our courses.
 

My World of Work:

https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/my-career-options/subjects?group=job_profile&subjects=1936

https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/my-career-options/subjects?group=job_profile&subjects=5086

 

 

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