"Art comes from Art"
All departmental planning proceeds from this basic philosophy. The introduction of the national curriculum at one end (emphasised in the new version introduced September 2000) and changing exam syllabuses at the other, structure specifications on the assumption that art is a thematic process. It's no longer merely a demonstration of skills, it is an investigation of knowledge and understanding. Cranbrook School selects its pupils by academic rather than practical criteria; it makes sense to exploit their analytic and intellectual strengths in a personal search for and creation of, meaningful art. This approach leads to an Art curriculum based on a roughly chronological progression.
If art in school is to be a truly investigative process, it follows that the analysis of perception, which each complete artwork represents, must have a powerful personal element. It is the task of art teachers to establish a comfortable framework within which students can work and find support. That framework must not restrict personal enquiry, nor must it control the content of work. The process through which we ensure ownership is by following the 'Unit' format for each piece of work.
The Unit format is established in Year 9 and the methods of working allow the student to pursue individual outcomes, whilst making sure that external specifications are met. At Year 9 we have to discover and tackle a wide variety of experiences of art before we can create a common approach amongst all students. To physically aid this independence we insist that students are accountable for their work. Storage, mounting and caring for their art is always their responsibility.
Art has an important role in developing the 'spiritual, moral, social and cultural development' of pupils; a thematic approach is relevant to this development - the personal investigation of the 'Identity' Unit in Year 10 for example. It is especially important in a boarding school that pupils have many avenues for personal development and it is an important role for an art department to fulfil. The thematic approach that the unit format creates suits the 'art comes from art' philosophy well. The ability to investigate a theme in all its variations is also characteristic of the highest grades in examination.
The department is housed in a large area with two big rooms, a computer room and the "greenhouse" where 6th Form tend to get on with their own work. The Head of Department is Mark White who has been at the School since 1996. His assistants are Emma Brown, and Dorothy Ledsham. The Art technician is Carole White.
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