Art/DT Curriculum Intent

Key Stage 3

In line with the academy’s mission statement. The Art, Design and Technology Faculty are committed to delivering high quality learning and a curriculum that enables all students to reach their full potential. Encouraging the aspirations and ambitions of all our students, pushing them to achieve their best.

To enable us to fulfil this commitment we have developed a curriculum we believe will allow our students to succeed.

Our mission is to cultivate and promote the potential and power of human creativity. We aim to offer students a high-quality art, design and technological based education which engages, inspires and challenges pupils; equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. In the 21st century, art and design within schools should be both flexible and relevant

Through an inspiring, rigorous and practical curriculum we aim for students to acquire a broad range of subject knowledge. They will do this through creativity and imagination to design and make relevant products or outcomes fitting a variety of contexts and user needs. Through knowledge of past innovations in design and technology, artists and art movements we encourage students to use critical evaluation and analysis to understand the impact products and designs have on daily life, culture and society. Through the provision of high-quality curricular, students will develop into capable, enterprising, creative and analytical individuals.  

As art, design and technology is a part of everyday life we want our students to develop insight into the responsibility of design. Considering the positive and negative impacts and how artists, designers, engineers and technologists can solve problems leading to positive impact on people, the environment and the world. The knowledge and skills gained by students will help them to become citizens who can contribute to these on-going developments. To understand how art, design and technology has shaped our world and continue to do so

In each year of KS3 students will study the following areas:    

Key Stage 4

At KS4 students can opt to study any of the areas covered in KS3. In KS4 Cooking and Nutrition is replaced with Level 1/2 Hospitality and Catering.

In each subject students will build on the knowledge and skills gained in KS3. Our KS4 curriculum is developed to ensure students have the necessary skills needed to study each area further if so desired.

In Y10 and 11 both GCSE Art and Design and Art Textiles follow the AQA specification

We aim to continually inspire students to embed and develop their knowledge and skills: to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

Students will think critically and develop a thorough understanding of art and design and how both art and design reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

The WJEC Eduqas GCSE in Design and Technology offers a unique opportunity in the curriculum for learners to identify and solve real problems by designing and making products or systems. Through studying GCSE Design and Technology, Learners will be prepared to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world; and be aware of, and learn from, wider influences on design and technology, including historical, social/cultural, environmental and economic factors.

Eduqas Level 1/2 Hospitality and Catering allows students to develop in learners the knowledge and understanding related to a range of hospitality and catering providers; how they operate and what they have to take into account to be successful.

Providing opportunities to learn about issues related to nutrition and food safety and how they affect successful hospitality and catering operations. They will also learn about the ever growing need for sustainability with food and food production.

Learners will also continue to develop more challenging food preparation and cooking skills as well as transferable skills of problem solving, organisation and time management, planning and communication.

By providing a safe, nurturing environment in all our subjects we want students to be confident to explore, experiment, investigate: to have insight into the possibilities of where their creativity could lead. Students need to become comfortable with failure and have the skills to evaluate and analyse information and outcomes to know the next steps needed and how they can continue to progress.

Within all areas spiritual, moral, social and cultural elements of the curriculum are embedded. Art, design and technology is not an isolated subject, students will use knowledge and skills gained from all other subjects studied at Aston Academy. Ultimately we aim for students to instinctively apply these within their work in art, design and technology.

We have developed this curriculum to be inclusive, to support the needs of each individual. Allowing all to progress and achieve.

Art/DT Learning Plans

Please click the links below to view our Art/DT learning plans.

Key Stage 3

KS3 Art & Design Learning Plan

KS3 DT Learning Plan KS3

Key Stage 4

KS4 Art & Design Learning Plan

KS4 Design & Technology Learning Plan

KS4 Hospitality & Catering Learning Plan

Art/DT Learning Expectations

Please click the links below to view our Art/DT learning expectations.

These documents show the progress we expect students to make by the end of each term.

Art/DT - Learning Expectations