Art & Design

Since opening our purpose-built department in 1988 the subject has flourished. Our results at both GCSE and Advanced Level are outstanding and to underline our success we have seen one of our ex-pupils short-listed for the famous Turner Prize and another who became one of the Spitting Image design team.

We enjoy an excellent Ceramics studio fully equipped with glaze and kiln rooms, two plug mills and pottery wheels as well as a Resources area, Photography room and a designated studio for the Sixth Form. Naturally we have our own printing press and the resources to produce etchings.

The department regularly organises day trips to all the major London galleries and others Birmingham and Salford. A highlight of our trip calendar has been week study workshops at the St Ives School of Painting in Cornwall. This exposes our pupils to the works of the important 'St Ives School' painters, and gives them a chance to visit such centres of excellence as the Barbara Hepworth museum and the St Ives Tate.

In the main school Art & Design is enjoying an increasing popularity with Year 9 numbers opting to study the subject doubling in recent years. We offer a range of after-school activities including Art Club and Ceramics Club.