Overview
The Art room is situated on the ground floor, in the same corridor as Home Economics and Music.
In the Art & Design department in Hollybrook Academy, opportunities are offered to each pupil to explore and develop their own potential by embarking on a wide range of practical art experiences, involving the use of a wide range of media and technologies.
Staff
Ms G Rainey
Although a single person department, Ms Rainey attends GCC Art & Design Business Meetings on a regular basis and has strong links with Art Staff in other Glasgow schools for moderation purposes and verification of National Standards.
S1 – S3 Broad General Education
S1-S2 pupils create expressive and design practical art work using a range of materials and techniques with the emphasis on Art as fun while learning to handle materials correctly.
The focus in S1 is on developing awareness and understanding of the Art Elements. S2 mini units allow pupils to build on existing skills and new ones are introduced like mono printing and 3D concepts. Through design work, pupils become aware of their city’s architecture and architects. A working knowledge of the art process - Investigation, Development of Ideas, and Final Outcome is introduced.
There is an Expressive Arts Option from S3 onwards. More advanced processes and techniques are taught, including painting, new forms of print making and 3D work in paper and clay. German Expressionist prints are examined and portraits by the Scottish colourists discovered.
Study of the lives and works of Artists and Designers is an integral part of all Art teaching from S1-S6.
S1 –S3 classes are timetabled for 2 periods of Art per week.
S4-S6 The Senior Phase
The Art department has a proven track record of supporting high attainment for learners in SQA National Qualifications.
Pupils choosing to continue with Art & Design in the upper school are entered for National Qualifications appropriate to their level of skill, interest, and ability. National 2 and National 4 units and courses are offered allowing for enjoyment and experiential work, to more challenging and advanced art work and ideas. Screen printing, silk painting, batik, mosaic and ceramics are all available depending on students Expressive and Design choices. Designers studied in S4 include Scottish Wallpaper designers Timorous Beasties, as well as discovering many other contemporary designers like Jocelyn Warner and Tracey Kendall.
Ultimately, as independent workers and specialists, students can progress to National 5 units. All expressive and design work embarked on is closely linked to relevant artists and designers appropriate to the study. The role of the art teacher at this stage can be as facilitator and advisor.
How Your Child Will Learn
Pupils in all year groups work individually, in pairs and sometimes in groups, and are encouraged to support each other through sharing ideas and positive peer assessment. Advice and suggestions are often offered spontaneously from fellow pupils, and have a very positive impact on learning. These are recorded in the teacher’s daily tracker.
Individual pupil PLPs record pupils’ self-assessment and progress. Learning intentions and success criteria are identified in collaboration with teacher and pupils to ensure clarity of understanding of tasks, and plenary sessions allow pupils to identify strengths, areas for development and next steps.
Home learning tasks are set for each unit to expand and consolidate learning, and are set as required with older pupils. Every pupil has an art folder - and from S3 on a sketch book - for keeping classwork, ideas, and evidence for assessment.
The Art Department has established many links with other departments including English, Maths, Social Studies and German, which have been natural and beneficial for everyone involved, and have encouraged a greater awareness of IDL in the young people.
A number of Competitions are entered throughout the school year especially when the requirements fit into the Art Curriculum. These allow for a different kind of focus, with ideas and work often being developed both at home and during lunchtimes. Competitions include the annual National Gallery of Scotland Children’s Art Competition and others as they arise.
Facilities
The Art & Design department has built up extensive facilities over the years, and these are constantly being updated and added to.
One well equipped Art Room: Networked PC, Smart Board and Scanner; 3 OHPs; Digital Camera; Access to school I pads; Kiln; Clay and Tools; Screens for Screen Printing; Rollers, Inks, Rubber and Polystyrenes for Block Printing; Batik Pot, Djanting tools for Batik; Silk Painting materials and equipment; Quality Paper, Paint, Brushes, and a wide range of drawing materials including pens and pencils, charcoals, inks, pastels and oil pastels.
