Course information
Art and Design (Photography)
Colfe's School - Greenwich
02084638102
Horn Park Lane, Lee, London, SE12 8AW
Course summary

The Art & Photography Department is housed in the Beardwood Creative Arts Centre and consists of three spacious, light-filled studios and a separate photography studio and dark room. Further facilities include a digital area with a full Adobe suite, a printmaking and screen printing area and a kiln. We teach technical, thinking and planning skills that enable pupils to form their ideas into objects or images. As our students progress through school, we teach them to manage their projects and time effectively – working towards a stunning show of personal work should they choose to pursue the subject at GCSE and A-level. In addition, the history of art and photography forms an integral part of the course and the starting point for every unit of work in every year group. In Years 7-9, pupils will work through a series of projects to explore two and three-dimensional skills, including black and white line work, mark-making, perspective and colour theory. All of this will equip our students with the skills and understanding of the formal elements. In Year 9, pupils start being introduced to GCSE projects and assessment objectives and learn to critically evaluate artists’ work about their ideas and responses. Pupils also have the opportunity to explore photography both digitally and in the darkroom. The GCSE Art course at Colfe’s is an exciting multimedia course which aims to enthuse, develop confidence and creative thinking, and encourage students to explore their interests and lines of enquiry. There will be visits to museums and exhibitions and several exciting workshops run by visiting artists. In Year 10, pupils learn about a wide array of materials and processes in a range of themes and starting points. In Year 11, pupils will work towards more individual lines of enquiry and at the end of the year have the opportunity to exhibit their work. At A-level, there is a choice of two endorsements – Art and Design or Photography. The Year 12 courses in both areas consist of two components: ‘Materials and Processes’ and a ‘Personal Contextual Study’ where students are encouraged to explore an artist(s) and theme of their own choice. In Year 13, pupils are encouraged to pursue more personal lines of enquiry and an exam-based theme. Pupils also curate their end-of-course exhibition. In addition, both courses offer an array of museum and exhibition visits, talks and workshop days with visiting artists. We encourage our students to regularly visit museums and galleries and attend talks outside of school. The Art & Photography Department is housed in the Beardwood Creative Arts Centre and consists of three spacious, light-filled studios and a separate photography studio and dark room. Further facilities include a digital area with a full Adobe suite, a printmaking and screen printing area and a kiln. Both Art and Photography are supportive subjects for all areas of academic work and, for many students, are seen as enriching elements of their broader education. Even students who do not intend to continue creative arts at a higher education level – like some of our medicine students – quite often keep Art or Photography as an option in Year 13. For those students planning to continue with higher education courses in the creative arts, we offer guidance with applications to art foundation and degree courses and help to develop their portfolios in support of those applications. A-level Art and Photography students at Colfe’s often go on to study degrees in Fine Art, History of Art, Architecture, Graphic Design, Advertising and Marketing, Animation, Set Design, Photography and more.

Entry requirements

Successful candidates will be invited to interview and offers made are conditional on achieving at least four Grade 7/A at GCSE. At this stage, we will also ask for a reference from the pupil’s current school.

How you'll be assessed

School Info

About Education Provider

RegionLondon
Local AuthorityGreenwich
Ofsted Rating
Gender TypeCo-Educational
ISI ReportView Report
Boarding FeeUnknown
Sixth Form Fee£15,330 - £20,460
AddressHorn Park Lane, Lee, London, SE12 8AW