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Mrs L Cook – Faculty Head of Creative Arts
Mrs K Clark
Mr C Hill
Mrs E Lamont
Mrs K Lowrie
Mrs K Reid
Miss L Cadden
Mrs B Mitchem
Mr J Walsingham – Piano – Monday
Mr S Rankin – Woodwind – Tuesday
Mr K Cahill – Guitar – Wednesday
Mr O Costar – Cello – Thursday
Mr J Boax – Brass – Friday
Mr R Watson – Upper Strings – Friday
The following links give an overview of the courses and contents offered in Art & Design:
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
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:
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.
Art & 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.
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.
After school supported study will run Wednesday 3pm to 4pm.
Senior pupils are always welcome to complete their projects in the department at lunch.
There 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 is taught at Higher level.
The following links give an overview of the courses and contents offered in Photography:
S3 Photography
S4 Photography
S5/6 Higher Photography
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
Pupils will develop performing skills on 2 chosen instruments by playing a variety styles and genres.
Unit 1: Musicals
Unit 2: Introduction to Music Technology
Unit 3: Popular Music
Unit 4: Jazz & Blues
Pupils will continue to develop performing skills on 2 chosen instruments by playing a variety styles and genres.
Unit 1: Scottish Music
Unit 2: Spooky Music
Unit 3: Musical Eras
Pupils will develop their music technology skills and apply them to a variety of songs/genres and skills tasks:
Unit 1: Developing Music Technology Skills
Unit 2: Audio Books
Unit 3: Jukebox Multitrack
Unit 4: Film Foley
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 February / 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 - Instrumental Music Vocal Music Popular Music Scottish & World Music Musical Eras
Music Literacy
Higher / Advanced Higher - Early Music Baroque Music Classical Music Romantic Music Modern Music
Pupils will continue to develop their technology skills and apply them to a variety of songs/genres and tasks. They will
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.
The assignment briefs:
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
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
Senior pupils are always welcome to practice in the music department at lunch and / or after school when working towards their SQA performance exam.
Currently we are offering the following musical activities:
Monday
Choir
Wednesday
Music Theatre
Friday
Instrumental Skills
Live @ Lunch
Senior pupils are again always welcome to practice in the music department at lunch and / or after school
Please ensure you have a Creative Arts pass.
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.
The music department work closely with the North Ayrshire Instrumental Service and the Irvine Rotary Club to give our young people even more opportunities to perform.
We look forward to welcoming new partners into our faculty to provide the young people with as many opportunities as possible.
DYW:
The faculty are looking forward to working with Mrs Dorrian (PT DYW) to develop career education and embed this in our courses.
Your Future:
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