RGS Art is an ambitious, rigorous and stimulating subject. Our diverse curriculum and popular co-curricular programmes aim to engage, inspire and support all learners across all key stages to use creativity and hone practical skills to equip themselves with the knowledge and ability to invent and create works of art, craft and design. Making art is a powerful tool; it can raise social consciousness, promote democracy and be a vehicle for change. It is therefore especially important that young, bright and enquiring minds have the opportunities to develop their cognitive skills through analysing artwork and eventually planning their own projects that challenge and engage. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and DT. Students learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, resilient and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present art and design, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. We are also aware that Art is an effective tool to help mindfulness and wellbeing and acknowledge the therapeutic role it can play. 

Throughout Key Stage 3, pupils have the chance to experience a diverse range of media and art movements to help them explore and understand the formal elements in Art.  We are committed to looking at a variety of contemporary artists, designers and craftspeople and the context of where artists and artworks sit within the history of art timeline. For example, our Year 8 pupils study architecture to inform their own re-design of RGS with cardboard models and ambitious construction techniques. Year 9 develop a greater understanding of how diverse and vibrant the Creative Industries are whilst competing in groups to create the best stop motion video during our end of unit Oscar Ceremony. We also believe in the transferability of key skills and work in collaboration with the History Department on a project called, 'Digging Up the Past'. Our Year 8 pupils visit Oxford, gather information and create a collaborative piece of work once back in the classroom. Our curriculum has a strong emphasis on progression, knowledge and skills are regularly re-visited, for example techniques relating to drawing, painting, printmaking and 3D. New skills and media are introduced as the students’ progress up the school.

At GCSE, we offer both Fine Art and Graphic Communication Endorsements. The Fine Art pupils are encouraged to take ownership of their project, using experts to guide along the way. We are incredibly fortunate to benefit from our long-standing Artist in Residence and Director of Arts Award whose expertise enables pupils access to a wide range of techniques and processes. The Graphic Communication pupils hone Photoshop skills in an IT suite with Procreate on iPads at home to fully access the course. In Year 10, our Graphic pupils gain a unique experience with the support from an OW and receive a bespoke brief from his company.

The Art Department organise 6 to 7 trips a year from Year 8 upwards. Our aim is for all pupils to see art in its many forms and across different contexts. At RGS we believe that high-quality art education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.