Expressive Arts Faculty
Art
- Mr Ian Walsh - Subject Leader
- Mr Peter Henderson - Teacher of Art & Graphic Design
Curriculum - Key Stage 3
The primary objective of the KS3 curriculum is to encompass the aims of the department in a comprehensive program of study in line with the National Curriculum. By the end of KS3, it is expected that most students will have a broader understanding of the basic elements of visual language, and an awareness of the work of artists and craftspeople.
At KS3 all students are provided with the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge to assist them to undertake a variety of 2 & 3 dimensional activities to achieve successful outcomes. The acquisition of skills and knowledge is reinforced through projects designed to utilise and extend areas of learning already covered while introducing further development.
Year 7
The role of art education at this time is to provide opportunities for individual pupils to acquire specific skills of investigating and making, to enable them to develop their natural curiosity. The units of work will provide opportunities for students to experience new materials and processes and to acquire knowledge of the language of art and design – Line, Shape and Colour. The projects are usually theme based and realised through a variety of media. The students are introduced to sketch books and are expected to use them as visual diaries and research tools.
Year 8
The work from year 7 is built upon and developed within broader and more sophisticated units of work. It is expected that Year 8 pupils will acquire higher levels of technical competence and manipulative skills. Pupils will be made aware of the diversity and complexity of the visual environment including the work of other cultures. Pupils will be expected to work more independently both in class and at home, homework tasks will become more demanding.
Year 9
In year 9 students are expected to have developed a more mature and organised approach to their work and have reached a much higher level of technical competence. Students should now be confident in their use of media and processes enabling them to develop their ideas in a more sophisticated way. They should be able to analyse and comment on how ideas and meanings are conveyed in their own, and others’ work. It is intended that the end of KS3 should see students who are confident in their use of a wide range of materials and disciplines, and are visually literate, intelligent art consumers, ready to meet, where applicable, varying career and examination requirements. The individual examination project undertaken the summer term should allow students to demonstrate the skills acquired during KS3 as well as preparing those who wish to continue with art and design some of the requirements for GCSE coursework.
Curriculum - Key Stage 4
Ridgeway follows the AQA GCSE course in Fine Art.
Unit 1 Controlled Assessment (60%)
This is undertaken mainly in the classroom, though some is set as homework. The course is designed to give students a deeper understanding and appreciation of Fine Art though the focus is on two units based on two 'umbrella' themes: Project 1: Ancient Cultures, Project 2: Pop Art and Modern Culture or Landscapes
Assessment Criteria
Students need to show they can:
- Develop their ideas through investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and cultural understanding
- Refine their ideas through experimenting and selecting appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes
- Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms
Present a personal, informed and meaningful response demonstrating analytical and critical understanding, realising intentions and, where appropriate, making connections between visual, written, oral or other elements.
Unit2 Exam (40%)
Theme-based work is examined. The theme is set externally and changes every year.
Each piece of work is also assessed again the objective it is covering and given a mark out of 20 and an effort grade. This is because each assessment objective is worth 20marks. This helps students to gain a rough idea of the standard they are working at.
Homework
In the Art Department, homework is seen as an important element in student learning. Its values are taken to be those outlined in the homework policy of the school.
The main purposes of homework are:
- To provide pupils with opportunities to enhance and extend the work they do in lessons.
- To encourage pupils to practice skills and reinforce knowledge learnt in lessons.
- To develop in pupils the skills of individual study already taught in lessons.
- To provide an opportunity for parents to play a part in the learning process of pupils.
- To provide opportunities for teachers to assess abilities related to home studying.
Homework tasks arise out of the demands of the specific projects, as outlined in the schemes of work, and may take a number of different forms: writing; drawing; designing; reading; researching; learning and watching. A standard homework list will be available for each year group. Home work is given to all pupils and is consistent with the schools homework timetable:
Enrichment
- Lunchtime Art club
- After school Art Club one evening per week
Drama
- Sarah Marrion - Subject Teacher
- Jennifer Rawlinson - Subject Teacher
Curriculum - Key Stage 3
The primary objective of the KS3 curriculum is to encompass the aims of the department in a comprehensive program of study in line with the National Standards of drama education. By the end of KS3, it is expected that most students will have a broader understanding of the basic elements of creating, performing and responding. They will study this through mainly practical exploration using a variety of stimulus material which also helps to re-enforce our Learning for Life and English curriculum.
Year 7
The main aim of the year 7 curriculum is to develop the student’s interest in why drama matters and introduce them to a variety of skills and resources that can be used when exploring ideas through the medium of drama. They will have the opportunity to work imaginatively and collaboratively as individuals, in pairs and in groups. We will focus on how they generate, develop and communicate ideas in practical work. Students will also learn how to evaluate both their own and their peers work using the appropriate subject language.
Year 8
The work from year 7 is built upon and developed within broader and more sophisticated stimulus material. Students will be expected to use props, lighting and make-up in their creative work and become confident performers and group leaders. We will also focus on students’ literacy skills and support the English department through our use of texts and poetry.
Year 9
In year 9 students will consider and explore the impact of social, historical and cultural influences on drama texts and activities. They will be expected to become effective independent learners and use the appropriate technical language in preparation for GCSE. Assessment will also focus on the students speaking and listening skills and support the English curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to film their work and develop their knowledge of staging and lighting.
Curriculum - Key Stage 4
Ridgeway follows the Edexcel GCSE course in drama.
Unit 1 Drama Exploration (30%)
Students are given the topic of ‘Fame’ and complete a 6 hour practical exploration of the theme. Students complete a written evaluation and explanation of their practical work in a controlled assessment. [maximum 2000 words]
Assessment Criteria
Students are marked for their understanding of the topic through practical work and their written response. The practical sessions are filmed. Students need to use the appropriate technical language and demonstrate their understanding of collaborative work.
Unit 2 Exploring Play Texts (30%)
Students are given a play text to study and complete 6 hours of filmed practical exploration. Students complete a written evaluation of their practical work in a controlled assessment. [maximum 1000 words]
The students also have to demonstrate their experience of live theatre as an audience member. They will have the opportunity to attend a number of live performances and complete a written response. [maximum 2000 words]
Assessment
The practical exploration and written response are marked internally. The students can submit their best theatre review for moderation.
Unit 3 Drama Performance [40%]
The students will be given a theme and demonstrate their understanding of practical drama skills by devising a piece of drama to be performed in front of a live audience. Students can either perform or support a performance through technical support.
Assessment
The students will work in groups and be marked individually by a visiting examiner. The performance is marked and students are assessed on voice & movement, roles & characterisation, content, style & form and communication.
Performance support is marked on justification of design decisions, documentation, and realisation of design and communication of the design in performance.
Homework
In the drama department homework is designed to re-enforce the practical skills and technical language required to demonstrate progress in the subject. To develop students' independent learning skills students will also have to prepare for practical work and develop their extended writing skills through project work.
Homework falls into the categories of:
- Written work
- Learning
- Observation and preparation.
Enrichment
- KS3 drama group
- KS4 drama group
- Preparation for local and national competitions
- Whole school production
Music
The Learning Area
The Music Department contains one main teaching room and a dual purpose Music/Drama room. Both rooms are fully resourced to meet the needs of our learners at Key stage three (with Keyboard Labs in each room). Key Stage Four is taught in the main Music room, which also contains 19 computers which run music specialist software (Sibelius, Cubase and Audacity). Practical Music is at the centre of our ethos and we also have 3 practice rooms, each equipped with keyboards/pianos, drum kits and amplifiers to allow the use of Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars.
Curriculum
KS3 – The Music Department delivers a three year KS3. The first year focuses on developing keyboard skills (to provide each student with a firm basic knowledge) and then, during the remaining two years, students are given the opportunity to experience other instruments (i.e. drums, guitar, bass guitar and voice). Each student can then choose to specialise in whichever instrument they prefer and by the end of Key Stage 3 every student will have performed in at least one band. Other topics studied include Film Music, Music for Video Games, Oriental Music, Music and Media, Musicals, Music and the Olympics, and the Blues.
KS4 – The Music Department currently runs the AQA Music G.C.S.E. course. 40% of this course is performance based, students must compose two compositions for another 40% and the final listening exam is worth 20%. Two different types of specialist software are contained on the computers in the department to best meet the needs of each student. Sibelius is best used by students who can read music and have a good knowledge of music theory, while Cubase SX is aimed at the more practical based students. The Practical elements of the course are helped by the instrumental lessons that are provided in school by both Tafelmusik and the professional musicians who work in the department. The topics covered in the listening exam are taught during the single lesson each week. These topics are The Western Classical Tradition (Baroque Orchestral Music, The Concerto, Music for Voices, Chamber Music and The Sonata), Popular Music of the 20th & 21st Centuries (Blues, Popular Music of the 1960’s, Rock Music, R ‘n’ B, Hip-Hop, Music Theatre and Film Music) and World Music (Music of the Caribbean, Africa and India).
In September 2012 we will change our GCSE to the AQA Performing Arts GCSE. This course is 60% Controlled Assessment and 40% external Assessment.
The Controlled Assessment is divided into 3 areas:
- Task One (30%) – Developing Performing Arts Skills. Students will develop their skill in ONE of the following areas:
- Acting
- Circus Skills (juggling, unicycling, conjuring etc.)
- Dance
- DJ-ing
- Music (vocal or instrumental performance)
- Music Technology
- Technical Production Skills (Costume and Make up OR Set OR Lighting OR Sound Design OR Stage Management)
- Task Two (15%) – Knowledge of the Performing Arts Industry. Students will research the skills and qualifications needed for TWO jobs within the Performing Arts Industry.
- Task Three (15%) – Preparation for Performance. Students will carry out research for the Externally Assessed performance that they do at the end of KS4.
The External Assessment (40%) is a Showcase Performance that the students will devise themselves and will be produced in groups of 2-5 to demonstrate the skills that they have learned throughout the course.
Homework
Homework tasks are set once a week for every class in each year group.
Enrichment
Instrumental and Voice lessons are provided by both the professional musicians employed at Ridgeway and Tafelmusik. Guitar is taught by Paul Devaney (a professional ‘gigging’ musician with a long, successful history of teaching acoustic, electric guitar and the Bass guitar. He has also performed at both Glastonbury and the Edinburgh festivals as a member of different bands. He is currently a member of the successful band ‘Capone’). Woodwind and Keyboard lessons are provided by the Head of Department (an experienced pianist, clarinettist and saxophonist. She has many years of instrumental teaching experience, having taught piano, clarinet, saxophone and flute all to grade 8 standard. She has also toured Europe as a member of different orchestras and is still regularly hired to play the clarinet and saxophone in ‘pit orchestras’ at theatres). Voice, Percussion, Brass and String lessons are all taught by specialist teachers provided to the school through Tafelmusik (a local company who are dedicated to providing quality instrumental lessons throughout the Wirral and Cheshire).
We offer many extra-curricular opportunities. Lunch time and after school activities include:
- Samba Band
- Choir
- Glee Club
- Instrumental Group
- Violin Taster classes (a 6 week course to introduce the students to string instruments)
- Band rehearsals
- Keyboard Club
- General instrumental rehearsal
- GCSE coursework club
Music Department Open Day Activities:
Enjoy a range of practical activities and demonstrations in the Music Department
PA3
The main music teaching room.
- Keyboards available for visitors use
- Examples of completed GCSE coursework
- Current Year 11 GCSE coursework
- Examples of workbooks available in the department
Practice Rooms
- Performances by GCSE students
Physical Education
The learning Area
Sportshall
Curriculum
KS3 Basketball, Football, Rugby, Cricket, Netball, Fitness, Rounders, Gymnastics, OAA, Athletics, Trampoline, Gymnastics, Badminton, table tennis, boxing/boxercise and dance
Curriculum - Key Stage 4
Full PE KIT
Homework
There will be 1 Theory lesson every week and students will be set homework on a weekly basis
Enrichment
Badminton, football, basketball, netball and rounders clubs.
