Powerful Knowledge in Creative Design
Powerful knowledge is the realisation that most of the items or products we interact with on a daily basis are designed by humans, for humans, for a reason. Real world problems are used to develop the students’ understanding of the huge, life-changing role and impact artists and designers can have. This provides:
• Knowledge of important art and design movements, their theories and their origins from culture.
• Knowledge of materials, their origins, strengths and weaknesses, in subject specific areas to help develop outcomes that are more realistic.
• Knowledge of sustainability, increasing world population, climate change, finite resources, technological advances, how to prepare for future challenges and how environmental considerations can impact design decisions.
• Knowledge of how literacy, numeracy, computing and scientific knowledge can be applied within Creative Design.
• Knowledge of ergonomics, anthropometrics, target markets, product analysis, specifications, marketing and evaluations. All students should be able to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding to provide solutions to given problems developing the ability to argue, justify and present with confidence and clarity. The design process consists of research, design, experiment, evaluate, discuss, experiment (and repeat).
Curriculum Features
Our curriculum is built around creativity and problem-based learning. The subject encourages students to explore their individual ideas and become enterprising, resilient, innovative and resourceful individuals. Our KS3 curriculum in Creative Design develops students in the following ways:
- Ability to research artists and designers and to analyse their work to aid the generation of ideas.
- To develop the ability to draw and present art work and design ideas.
- Ability to test and modify ideas.
- Ability to present ideas developing confidence in oracy and rhetoric and evaluating outcomes to identify areas for improvement.
- Understanding of art and design throughout history and in today’s society. Examples of projects across KS3 include: The Zombie Toy Project, The Art Project, The Day of the Dead Mask Project, The Sustainability Project, The Nancy Rothwell Challenge
Co-curriculum Enrichment
Creative Design links with a number of other subjects including English, Maths, Spanish, History and Science. Cross curricular projects aim to enrich the work students produce in Creative Design lessons: Projects and electives include:
• Fashion Design Elective
• Origami Elective
• Art Award Elective
- Art Appreciation Elective
- Art History Elective
- Formula One Elective
KS3
The KS3 curriculum is built around creativity and problem-based learning. The subject encourages students to explore their individual ideas and become enterprising, resilient, innovative and resourceful individuals. Our KS3 curriculum in Creative Design develops students in the following ways:
- Use of visual language by seeing, understanding, questioning and practicing.
- Use of research and analysis to aid the generation of ideas.
- Ability to draw and present art work and design ideas.
- Ability to test and modify ideas.
- Presentation of ideas, developing confidence in oracy and rhetoric, and evaluating outcomes to identify areas for improvement.
- Understanding of art and design throughout history and in today’s society.
- Proficiency in handling materials and 2D and 3D design and making skills.
Year 7 Example projects that students will work on in Year 7 include: The Zombie Toy Project, The Packaging Project, The Logo Design Project, The Collage Project influenced by Frank Shepherd Fairey. Skills will be developed in 2D and 3D, using a variety of media and exploring a number of formal elements, whilst allowing students to develop a personal response. Annotation, analysis and evaluation will become an integral part of the year and will help students to communicate their ideas to others. Research, analysis, idea generation, testing/modelling and evaluation form the design process that are fundamental areas of Creative Design that the projects will focus on. The projects will incorporate important design considerations such as: ergonomics, anthropometrics, designing for a target market, sustainability, cost, biomimicry, form, function, safety, materials and equipment. Art and design movements will be studied and used as inspiration.