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art

At Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School, Art is not just a subject, it is an essential pathway for developing curiosity, emotional expression, and individuality.

Our curriculum is designed to nurture creative thinkers and resilient, empathetic young people.

We recognise the vital role of art and design for students of all abilities … it provides them with opportunities to develop their curiosity through the encouragement of self-expression and creativity.

“A true artist is not one who is inspired but one who inspires others”

Salvador Dali

Our Art curriculum aims to:

Foster self-expression, critical awareness, and creative confidence through a varied programme of media, techniques, and artistic contexts.
Promote emotional development and encourage students to flourish through positivity, resilience, and aspiration.
Build transferable skills, developing analysis, problem-solving, visual literacy, self-evaluation strategies to prepare students for creative pathways and life beyond school.

Key Stage 3 Art (Years 7–9)

Students experience a rich, spiral curriculum exploring:

A variety of media and techniques—drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and digital arts.
Artistic enquiry and creativity, with opportunities to experiment, fail, adapt, and succeed.
Critical awareness, building knowledge of artists, styles, movements, and cultural contexts.
Development of virtues: Respect (for self, community, environment), Positivity, Resilience, Creativity, Aspiration—all integral to the art curriculum.

Students build portfolios, respond to themes, and grow in confidence as emerging artists.

Key Stage 4 Art (Years 10–11)

Students progress to the GCSE Art & Design (e.g., AQA) pathway, where they:

Develop personal portfolios through sustained project work.
Engage deeply with critical analysis, exploring meaning, context, and intent.
Balance coursework (projects, journals, refined pieces) with final exam preparation.
Receive tailored support for idea development, technical mastery, and reflective evaluation.

We also prepare students for further study including Art at A-level or BTEC, or entering creative careers.

Enrichment & Creative Careers

Our commitment to excellence in the arts extends beyond lessons:

Extra-curricular opportunities: art clubs, pop-up exhibitions, creative workshops.
Showcase platforms: displays around school, local exhibitions, competitions.
Pathway guidance: transition support for further study in Art and Design, creative media, architecture, fashion, illustration, and more.

We inspire students to consider art not only as expression, but as vocation, service, and professional journey.

Catholic SOCIAL TEACHING

Art education at our school embodies Catholic formation:

Spiritual and moral development through reflection on beauty, creation, identity, and human experience.
Social and cultural awareness by introducing diverse perspectives and aesthetic traditions.
Catholic virtues—respect, positivity, resilience, creativity, aspiration—are embedded in learning and artistic practice
Students explore who they are and their place in creation, cultivating wonder, dignity of life, and a reflective spirit.