Modern Foreign Languages

D1363-080R

Key Stage 3

 

The Key Stage 3 course at Norden provides the foundation for continued study at GCSE level.  Pupils acquire and develop skills which allow them to put into practice the basic elements of art with confidence on a range of projects across Key Stage 3.

Over the academic year groups will be set one or more areas of focus to work on such as drawing, painting, ceramics, printing and collage. Each area is supported by the inclusion of contextual studies, encompassing relevant historical and contemporary artwork, aiding the deeper understanding of the pupils and allowing them to evaluate their own work and that of others. New technologies are included as part of the curriculum where possible.

 

Key Stage 4

 

The GCSE course at Norden encourages pupils to make a visual response to their world that is inspired by art practitioners, while still allowing a personal response from the pupils themselves. Building on their knowledge and understanding of art acquired in the previous key stage, they work through 2 main units of work over the 2 years, with a third culminating in their mock exam.

The course begins with an intensive skills induction where pupils are introduced to new working practices and methods to encourage them to be more experimental.  Working from their set theme, pupils are expected to experiment further, research, analyse, and develop projects through use of a personal sketchbook and guidance from teachers. They should see the course as an ongoing process, developing their own independent working skills setting targets and making full use of extra-curricular time.

Each project is marked against the 4 assessment objectives set by the exam board; these are shared with the pupils throughout the course.  Each pupil should have evidence of visual research, investigation, documentation and realisation of their ideas in each coursework unit set; coursework is worth 60% of the final grade. The course culminates in a 10-hour examination worth 40% which is usually split into several sessions.