Art
The Art Department at KC offers exciting opportunities to students who wish to use creative visual images as a form of expression.

In addition to two-dimensional work, we offer a wide range of sculptural techniques, involving modelling, carving and constructing. The aim is to offer students a broad fine-art visual vocabulary, making it all the more possible for them to realise their ideas, and to complete visually powerful and technically sound results.

In the last two years a new art studio has been created, providing more working space for senior students. A combined Art Resource and History of Art Centre has also been opened. Among other things, this houses our high quality colour printer, scanner and computer, on which the Adobe Photoshop software is available. Students also have access to art-related CD-ROMs and videos, and may use a high definition digital camera for their research work.

Work in the studio is enhanced whenever possible by trips to London galleries. Following the successful visit to Paris, we intend to plan more foreign trips to other major centres of the arts.

Art is essentially a visual subject and hopefully the images of students' work you see here will say more of their creative achievements than words alone! Visitors to the school will see an impressive art display in the main entrance foyer and are always welcome to have a look around the department to talk to some of our talented young artists and see more of their exciting work.

Art scholarships worth up to 50% of tuition fees are available at 13+ and 16+, to able candidates who are either exisiting KC students or prospective students.

Years 7 & 8 - Girls are given an introduction to a range of drawing, painting, modelling and carving skills. They learn about the importance of art in society and they are encouraged to explore the many different ways that they can research their ideas. This includes the use of computers, which are playing such an important role in the creation and enhancement of images. In addition to studio projects, pupils keep a sketchbook in which they produce a weekly drawing to hone their observational recording skills.The aim in Years 7 and 8 is to give each student the broad visual language that we consider so important. Only in this way will they have the best opportunity to succeed as they study art at higher levels.

Year 9 - Students are encouraged to work on more individual themes. They also study the work of other artists and use their sketchbooks to record their experiments and the evolution of ideas. This provides the final phase of preparation for those who go on to take art at examination level in Year 10.

GCSE Art & Design (Years 10 & 11) Students are able to follow the 'Creative Process' from an initial idea, through the various stages of research, experimentation and analysis, to the finished artwork. Great emphasis is placed on the use of sketchbooks to record all aspects of students' work. The examination takes the form of an exhibition where students display the work produced during three coursework projects and one examination project.

A-level Art (Lower & Upper Sixth Form) - Students with creative, imaginative minds and plenty of energy enjoy A-level art. It can be immensely challenging but extremely rewarding! Students have the opportunity to express their ideas in a wide range of two and three-dimensional media and to explore the artistic possibilities of varied approaches, from observational study to abstraction. Sketchbooks are considered just as important as finished pieces of artwork, and students use them to show all stages of the development of their ideas. The AS exam (taken at the end of the first year) requires students to produce two coursework projects, a 'Personal Investigation' exploring an aspect of art or an artist's work, and to sit a five hour examination during which the student will develop a previously researched idea. The A2 exam (taken at the end of the second year) requires students to produce one major piece of coursework and supporting studies, a 'Personal Study', and to produce a 15 hour examination project on a previously researched theme.

Examination results are impressive and in recent years many KC artists have taken up the offer of places on an art foundation course on leaving school, and have then progressed to a degree course. Following this, qualified artists and designers proceed to careers in areas such as fine art, photography, graphics, industrial design, fashion design, furniture design, textile design, theatre design, film and television, ceramics and jewellery design.

A-level Art: Critical and Contextual Studies (History of Art - Upper & Lower Sixth Form) - Most people are fascinated by paintings, sculpture and architecture and they want to know more. The emphasis in this lively and stimulating course is on looking at, evaluating and interpreting works of art in a social and cultural context. The course is split into units which give a good range of subject choices so that students can study areas which really appeal to them. Those who like visiting galleries, studying visual material, and are motivated by a high level of personal study and research will enjoy the course. Available at AS-level (one year) and A-level (two year).

This exciting course can be combined with any other subjects including art and requires no prior knowledge of the subject. Students in the past have progressed to university to study a variety of subjects from accountancy to law and theatre.

The staff and students at the KC art department hope you have enjoyed this visit to the website. You would be welcome to visit us in person during one of the school open days.