Art and Design

The Art Department comprises three specialist classrooms equipped to undertake a range of art activities including painting and drawing, mixed media techniques, digital image making and manipulation as well as three dimensional and craft activities.

All pupils study Art in Years 7, 8 and 9 and the subject is a very popular choice as an option at GCSE, AS and A2 level and examination results are impressive.

The art department believes every student has the ability to explore and enjoy creative, artistic and visual work. The tasks we set are intended to encourage and allow students a structure which allows them to do this. We see this visual creative thinking as something different to the language and logic-based functions explored in other subjects. We think that it is important to encourage rather than criticize and also to find styles of working that suit every child’s needs. We consider Art and Design to be of great importance in the life of the school and that everyone is capable of a sense of achievement and personal growth through being involved in this subject.

We seek to encourage creativity and imagination whilst developing technique and an appreciation of visual language and knowledge and understanding of the work of other artists.

After school art activities, out of school trips and guest speakers are important aspects of the art department and visits to exhibitions in this country and abroad are regular features. Art work produced by students is displayed within the art department as well as around the school.

The department runs leisure hours including free art and more specialist activities depending on staff interest. Free art allows students to work on GCSE or AS and A Level work outside of lessons, or younger students to work on any project they wish.

The department also has an artist in residence who usually works within the department for a year. The resident artist runs specialist leisure activities with smaller groups. Weekly life drawing classes are also run within the department. Each year students continue on to further study in Art or related subjects such as Architecture at Art College or University.

The department enjoys the a very strong reputation. In 2008, an unprecedented number of GCSE candidate gained top marks. Of the 39,294 candidates, nationwide, who sat the exam, 50 were classified as receiving “top marks” – and of those 50, 21 were from Bootham School. Click here to see the press cutting.

April 2013 - read about the new music and arts centre under construction