Briefing Note December 2010

Dear Colleagues,

Just a brief note to wish everyone well and to hope you have a good Christmas break after what seems to be an interminably long and fraught term. It seems that next year will herald change on a variety of fronts although it is still difficult to tell where it will all end up. I have been very busy this term and have not really had time to write much about art education and the changes - perhaps I will catch up over the break. But the possible demise of 'Specialism' as a force for good and the pursuit of the English Baccalaureate which does not include art is perhaps a concern. 

I have not had time to read it, so cannot endorse it, but I know that John Steers of the National Society for Education in Art and Design has published a critique of the White Paper. If you are interested the link is http://www.nsead.org/downloads/White_Paper_commentary.pdf

But the good news is that there will continue to be good schools with good teachers working hard in the best interests of their pupils. As always the system works on their good, professional common sense.

Best wishes

Dan

PS I did publish some stuff on assessment earlier, which I think is important earlier this term and this is having an impact in some schools (https://sites.google.com/site/assessmentpapers/)

NSEAD Facebook Forum

Just a quick post to note the NSEAD forum on Facebook. It is an open online forum and is regularly serviced by officers of NSEAD so it really does get up to the minute news, references and comments about art education. It is probably worth opening a 'professional' facebook identity to access this as it is a good thing to distinguish between personal and professional facebook profiles. NSEAD is the National Society for Education in Art and Design.

 

 

Assessment Papers and Practice

Last year QCDA developed exemplar materials to support the assessment of national curriculum levels in KS3 for all foundation subjects. These materials were published in July 2010. They are really helpful on a variety of levels. They provide a much richer illustration of both standards and the nature of the evidence teachers should use to assess their students. Perhaps more importantly these materials illustrate good assessment practice. They clearly move away from the practice of 'levelling' students every month: that is, making constant summative judgements based on limited and incomplete evidence.

The materials were deliberately developed to improve assessment practice and to align practice in foundation subjects with the principles of APP (Assessing Pupil Progress) that were already becoming accepted in core subject assessment. These principles involve breaking down broad summative judgements (levels) into clearly focussed formative assessment of the different aspects of learning that will help students improve. The materials illustrate how teachers should look at distinct aspects of performance and consider the nature of the evidence that shows students' achievement in that aspect. In doing so the materials support that formative assessment dialogue between teacher and student that is at the heart of teaching and learning: good 'Assessment for Learning' in effect.

However, the new adminsistration at the DfE has decided not to publish the guidance and assessment frameworks upon which the exemplar materials were based, despite the fact that both were completed at the same time. This is unfortunate as the one complements and informs the other. Together they provided a very good model of assessment in all the foundation subjects. However, these draft papers can be found here Assessment Papers. and are worth looking at and sharing amongst foundation subject teachers. The site also contains papers to support the use of FFT estimates in target setting - which are again relevant to all foundation subject teachers.

Specialist Schools and Networks

Michael Gove has announced changes to the Specialist Schools programme. It seems that schools will no longer need to be designated as a specialist school and that specialism funding will simply be reabsorbed into the overall funding package. Funding for SSAT to support designation will also cease.

While not announcing the abandonment of the principle it is hard to see how 'specialism' can remain as a significant feature of the educational landscape. For instance, a headteacher has told me that it is unlikely that the funding to support the 'family' of other schools will be sustainable. I would also imagine schools will wish to channel resources towards the less successful subject areas rather than the most successful.

It is true that, in many schools, specialist status has led to really significant improvement in the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. This did raise the bar and provided new exemplars, expectations and models of practice. This did spread to other schools - almost virally. However, expectations that specialist schools  would become the hub of significant, locally based, subject networks dedicated to innovate and improve have not often been realised. It may be that specialist schools formed regional networks with other specialist schools. But these seemed to be inward looking in the main.

There have been some very good examples of cross-phase working, especially where time was taken to establish personal partnerships between teachers based upon mutual respect. However, sometimes primary teachers have complained of being patronised and ignored. So 'specialism' as a concept has made a difference but may not yet have fulfilled all the potential for system wide improvement.

The announcement that 'specialism' is to be absorbed (and probably abandoned) does make it harder to see how subject communities will be supported. How the next generations of champions will be able to develop and share new ideas and practice is uncertain. This is a shame, especially at a time when nationally prescribed models of practice are being abandoned and teachers will be free to develop their own practice. This should not be done in isolation.

How FFT works (video)

The other day I was going to speak about assessment at a conference. However, arrangements became confused and I was unable to get there. So I recorded and uploaded a quick version of part of the presentation to YouTube. It is a short, quick, unpolished recording about the use of FFT data.But it might be useful in conjunction with the assessment paper (Working Paper 1) on the same subject.

True Stories

A really interesting day.  Most of it was spent with the Latvian Minister for Education. She was in the country for a short visit to explore the work of Creative Partnerships. We visited Chalfont’s Community College and Ashmead School in Aylesbury. Ashmead is a special place it is in the middle of an area social deprivation and provides an island of mystery and imagination for the pupils who go there.

Learning is literally an adventure as children arrive in school to find a car overturned on the field. Later they discover metal objects all over the school: hanging from the ceiling is a drum from a washing machine, for instance. Over the next few days clues are found pieces of paper fall out of the register which when studied can be made into a map. Children begin to discuss and explore these phenomena. They contact the police to report the incident of the car – and the police attend. Gradually the children discover that all this is the work of the Iron Man and they then find and work from the book. I say work but, of course, that is not how the children perceive it. It’s just school and it’s always like this. This term they are discovering junk and rubbish all over the place every morning. They are making dens with it. But I cannot say more because they don’t yet know what is going to happen next.

This is a wonderful example of learning through first hand experience and discovery. These are real investigations for the children and, although  carefully managed by teachers, the children can take the story in the direction they want to. Often the story is supplemented by role play and visits by adults in character. So Tinkerbelle and a couple of 'lost boys' (ex pupis) visited last year when they were exploring the story of Peter Pan.

There was also the time when all the children were 'evacuated' while exploring the 2nd World War. But thats another story made real by the teachers at Ashmead School.

Space to learn, Stowe School

Today I was priviledged to attend the opening of the new Art School At Stowe. Designed by Rick Mather Associates who have also designed, among others, the new Ashmolean (Oxford), The Dulwich Picture Gallery (London), The Towner Gallery (Eastbourne). This is probably the most extra-ordinary art studio and gallery space to be found in any school.The original 1930s Bauhaus building has been rediscovered and revived creating an interior of articulated white spaces that open up dramatically revealing glimpses through the building and beyond. Students' work is displayed everywhere and in these differently articulated, blindingly white spaces, looks extraordinarily vibrant and exciting. The core of the building opens into a double storey gallery flooded with north light. The natural light is supplemented with state of the art gallery lighting with controlled ceiling light boxes such as that found in the other contemporary, world class, galleries developed by Rick Mather.

In the newly created open space facing the new building stands a major Lynn Chadwick bronze - looks stunning. The building features a new gallery that currently holds a wonderful exhibition of Lynn Chadwick sculptures, studies and photographs: made possible through the family connection with Stowe.

It is true that Stowe is not short of extra-ordinary, world class architecture for teaching in, but for an art teacher (me) this was a good day.


PS Throughout the day staff at Stowe were very keen to make the point that they valued opportunities to work with, and share practice, with other schools and teachers. It will be good to follow this up and I am grateful to Brian (Johnson) for his, invariably hospitable, welcome. In the meantime the Lynn Chadwick Exhibition is on until 11 December of Mondays to Saturdays from 2pm - 6pm by appointment only. Contact Kathy Campbell (Marketing Manager) 0n 01280 818355 or email kcampbell@stowe.co.uk to arrange a viewing.

Endpiece

It has been an interesting year, although I suspect the next academic year is going to be even more 'interesting'. In our NAO team (Northern Area Office) we have been wrestling with the LA's programme to revolutionise the ways we work. No more offices but large open plan floors with hot desks. But our team remains cheerful and good natured in the face of change as the video demonstrates. I have been celebrating the work of art teachers recently, perhaps now is a good time to celebrate the work of all my adviser/consultant colleagues they continue to amaze me with their deep understanding of teaching and leadership and their dedication to learning. It is good to be part of this team and I am grateful to them for putting up with my constant droning on about blogs and twitter all term.

New Assessment Guidance for KS3 Art- APP probably

QCDA has just published the online exemplification of standards materials. These provide much more than just examples of levels. They provide an illustration of good assessment practice and embrace the principles of good assessment which is at the heart of APP. These materials were prepared quite explicitly to develop assessment practice in line with APP. It is not yet clear whether the government will actually take the next step and make the links explicit in the website. However, this is not particularly relevant because the materials themselves do the work anyway. They refer to the three key areas for assessment which have informed all iterations of assessment criteria for the last 25 years. These are 'Understanding Art, Craft and Design', 'Creating Art Craft and Design' and 'Exploring and Investigating'. The materials illustrate how these can be evaluated and what might constitute evidence. For instance, in what students make, what they do and what they say or write).

What the materials emphatically do NOT do is constantly seek to label students with a level every three days. They unpack how assessment can draw attention to strengths and weaknesses and what students need to do to improve. I have written elsewhere about assessment issues and produced some working papers which can be found on the art pages in Bucks Grid for Learning. I think these QCDA materials are important and they do challenge the practice of constantly 'leveling' students which is too often an exercise in meaningless labeling rather than informed assessment.

For Hannah

This was the third event of the day, and its late, but I promised Hannah I would write it up. It was at Pinewood Studios and was the launch of a Create, Compete, Collaborate programme which presented live brief challenges to young people to develop international links and to share, collaborate and embrace the values of the Olympics. It was also an opportunity to see how the new Diplomas can succesfully engage with professional practices and creative professionals, in this case Games Designers from across the world. It was good to join the students who spoke to the large gathering with easy confidence and gracious humour.

Talking later to a games designer/programmer who supported the course I was reminded of a common feature of so many cases where we, in education, have been succesful in drawing down professional practice into classrooms. It is the partnerships between the teacher, the professional and the students which is key. There are always direct and distinct channels of communication between each of the three parties. I have seen it work in the field of graphics, music technology, theatre studies. The key seems to be that the teacher does not try to be the expert and conduit for all expertise, but manages the relationship between the professional and students so that expertise is brought to bear directly where, and when, it is needed.

I have written elsewhere about this games course with an international cast of teachers and designers so won't repeat it here. Indeed although, I would like to write much more about what, I think, are genuinely significant pedagogical breakthroughs in this Diploma course, I am relived to note that I don't have to: because, I will be able to read it in Hannah's MA thesis which she will be writing this summer.

On a final note, one part of the evening was spent in Pinewood's state of the art super-sensory-surroundorama-viewing cinema. I don't really like the cinema these days - its always full of youff eating popcorn loudly and talking. But with the sound vibrating through the seat I have to admit it actually was ...LIKE... OH WOW! AWESOME!

Royal Grammar School - maturity, conviction and contemporary fossils

This is the second show today and both are marked by excellent life drawing. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that both schools (Sir William Ramsay and Royal Grammar School) use the Royal Academy 'Life' class. This has been going for many years and never fails to produce superb results. It adds imeasurably to portfolios and self confidence. I don't know if many schools club together to share this resource, but it would certainly be worth it. I understand it is still relatively cheap and the class can accommodate up to 30 students.

This exhibition showed work from all year groups and it was fascinating to see the rigorous consistent thinking and values that have built this course and which ensure that first hand experience, rigorous self reflective enquiry and serious study of serious artists are hard wired into the experience for Yr 7 onwards . Rob (HoD) has been there for many years (I think we shared our first inspection - he as inspected and me as inspector) and there is a deep integrity to the work throughout the school which is a real strength. There is also a very clear commitment to sculpture throughout the programme. This gives rise to Yr 13 istallations and mixed media pieces in which ideas are easily and naturally shaped and presented in 3 dimensions with mature understanding and an ability to resolve technical issues with intelligence and imagination.

The GCSE work shows an emerging individuality and I loved the piece which explored contemporary fossils and a delightful small piece making a space from a book (see video). These are multilayered as well as multimedia pieces.

However, the Yr 13 work is superb. Again experience is tracked back to KS 4 where the process of deep, personal enquiry is first established. This is rooted in direct experience, reinforced through the annual field course where students are imersed in beaches and fields, rocks and trees. It seems that often this expereince leads to a recognition of art as a means to record real first hand experience, feeling and responses. There is a piece which explores ideas of sculpture as small disgarded fragments, each of which has marked key moments and turning points. This is a piece of genuine conviction and is, as a consequence, genuinely moving - it was good to see it and I won't forget it. There are many other extra-ordinary pieces all marked by deep, extended personal enquiry and a fascination with materials. I think this is what makes them really sucessful there is a successful balance, or fusion really, between the idea and the material. It could not be other than it is. Often the journey is intriguing and extensive, for instance, from first hand experience of landscape to a technical piece in which boxes in boxes on gimballs (3 way hinges) respond to air movment (or fans in this case). By way of Fibonacci.

As I said to Rob, the work reminded me of why I wanted to be a teacher, and what I valued when I was a teacher. I recall residential trips always fuelled that year's work and relationships - getting up at 4am to get to the beach - just in time to see the sun rise, brilliant.

This is the last of this year's shows. I really enjoyed all of them. It was good to meet so many colleagues and friends and to share and celebrate their work and success.

New 'Life' at Sir William Ramsay

The first screen as you enter the show at Sir William Ramsay (Specialist Art College) displays some of the best student life drawing I think I have ever seen. It was fortunate that I saw show with Richard (HoD) who confirmedthat it was drawn from first hand experience or I would have assumed it was a studious copy of professional drawing.

It was, as always, a large, high quality and interesting show and this year there are signs of new directions for the school. There was some really strong, simple, culpture which got to the heart of the materials being used - the dense heaviness of cement and the light natural rythmn of withies.

Some strong photographs once again confirm the general very noticeable increase in the role of photography. Here it is a mixture of wet and digital photography (tip 1. Good SLR film cameras are very cheap on e-bay)

 Textiles work is strong with intriguing stitched drawings and whimsical costumes. It was also good to read extended essays which were simply well written rather than just well decorated. (tip 2 for rusted fabrics wrap material soaked in vinegar in cling film with iron wool and heat. result is fast)

It was interesting to see year 9 students entered for the new short course. As the school entered students for the new specifications it was possible to get a sense of how things may be changing. It was felt that the new time limitations (45 hours) of the externally assessed test together with the new marking scheme does make it more difficult to achieve the higher grades. There may be some issues here for next year. I understand that SWR was one of only 15 schools that entered and assessed the short course using these specifications this year. It may be that this could suggest a change in pedagogy and preparation. Perhaps this is a discussion that should happen next term.

Corridors of Art - Wycombe High School

Really glad I came to this show as I haven't been for a couple of years and Mark (Coombe) is moving on this year so it is his last exhibition. It is really impressive, with some brilliant large, loose, figurative painting and drawing. A good mix of styles from still life and portraits to strong issue based pieces exploring identity. This is the first time it has been held in the 6th form studios and the walk from reception to the studio is through corridors full of paintings. These are GCSE works and because the school always displays lots of painting it is a straight forward job to open the school as part of Bucks Open Studios. The stairwell to the studio is full of really big drawing and painting and the scale and quality is hugely impressive (see video).

The actual studio opens out onto the roof and has views over the valley. Highlights of this show, for me, are some of the big paintings especially the portraits there is a loose confidence about these works which is a delight. But I did enjoy a very intense enclosed installation stained with angst and conviction. Some students had developed images and ideas digitally and these were simply displayed on laptops alongside the larger work which was simple and effective. The open laptops fitting in seemlessly with the open sketchbooks in a way which seemed perfectly natural and unassuming.

Once again I find a new AS course in photography presenting some excellent photographs - intelligent, reflective and perceptive. The school has just acquired an A1 colour printer which provides high quality A1 prints. This does make a difference but Mark told me that some large branches of Tesco provide A1 digital prints for about £2.40 (less for bulk orders). In this girls' grammar school this course was done as part of the 'enrichment programme' so the students had fewer taught lessons than a standard AS course.

Mark does a lot of examining and it was interesting to discuss the implications of the changes that are coming down the line. We talked of the fact that, these days, as most students use canvas and oil or acrylic, the quality of painting is infinitely better than it was only a few years ago when canvas was uncommon and redimix and paper was the norm.  We also noted the possibility that with the development of a new reduced curriculum, the possible loss of QCDA, BECTA, Levels, SIPs, TAs, Advisers, CPD and Uncle Tom Cobbly, it will be exams and examiners that will have to guard the flame and preserve what is important. Well that may not be such a bad thing - its where I came in.

It was good to meet the new Head of Art and I will look forward to next year's show at Wycombe High School with interest.

Just Playing

We all talk about creativity and how important it is. But, how often do we really, actively, promote, model and provoke it? How often do we, or students, take risks? How often do we just play? This is just to note one such occassion where a group of creative practitioners and some KS3 students spent a day in a blacked out drama studio to find out what they could do with the space using objects, light, sound, film, animation and whatever came to mind. The video just captures a few moments towards the end of the day but it gives a flavour of the piece - reminded me of a Soft Machine gig of the 1960s, but no one else was old enough to know what I was talking about.
Chalfonts Community College are funded through Creative Partnerships as a 'Change School'. They have found space in their timetable each term for all KS3 students to spend two days working with creative partners to develop familiarity and skills using new technologies - sound, animation, film, photography and collage. This event brought all the creative partners back into school for a final day in which they and the children were given the opportunity to make/do something using the space. It was in effect simply giving permission to play. I guess one interesting question might be, who, was giving, who, permission to play - teachers, students or practitioners?

Brit Art at the RCA

I went to the Royal College of Art show this weekend - continuing the theme of visiting student shows. I was particularly interested in animation because of the student animations I had seen earlier in the week. These were indeed interesting with many hand drawn animations with a delightfully delicate and subtle use of line. A significant difference between these and some of the A Level animations seems to be in the extended and more abstracted narrative of these RCA animations. Curiously only two RCA students explored the notion of projection into, or onto, other things leaving the rest just presenting via rectangular projections on screens. I am always intrigued by the synergy of projected video into unusual and unexpected situations and am surprised there was not more of this. 

I thought it could be interesting to draw down animators of this quality into school as animators in residence. The equipment and techniques are available in schools, and students are already using them with confidence. Unfortunately neither the RCA or the students had a web prescence which showed work. Most students had websites under construction. So it is hard to recommend contacts. By the time this is read this may have been remedied - check RCA website.

In the Battersea galleries sculpture was usually big or heavy. There were two which I found interesting. However, most of it seemed to have the surly charmlessness of adolescent boys' displaying their underpants. An RCA twitterfeed at midday had breathlessly announced that Charles Saatchi had visited the show that morning. Saatchification was indeed fairly endemic as questions of 'what is art and form?' were once again rehearsed, but rather pedantically, and without the elegance and wit that characterised the same debate in the last century from Duchamp to Damian Hirst, via Carl Andre. Brit Art did seem to have lost its sense of humour. A Levels were more fun.

Shakespeare and Summer at Holmer Green

This year there seems to be a real increase in photography and much of it high quality photography at that. Several schools have entered for the first time this year and are talking about increased numbers opting for it next year. At Holmer Green it was interesting to talk about ideas to offer photography and graphics next year. We noted that this blog/record of school exhibitions should be helpful in identifying those schools with useful expertise and experience - Waddesdon for graphics was one of the things we discussed. I really enjoyed the delightful seasonal booklet of photographs 'Summer's lease hath all too short a date'. Its in the video and  shows really intelligent picture taking. It is noticeable that, for all the photographs seen, very few have just relied on Photoshop filters for effect. The work is usually rooted in good, perceptive picture taking: although photoshop is used to crop and enhance, of course.

Other intriguing pieces at Holmer Green were the sets of three or four very small canvases presented as a sequence of repeating icons. These miniatures are, quietly, effective and provide a really simple comentary on the work of other artists such as Julian Opie.

Sketchbooks and research projects continue to impress with the levels of knowledege and understanding of art and artists acquired by students at both GCSE and A Level. It is interesting to note the now common practice of using digital photographs as the research tool of choice for many. There can be very few sketchbooks these days which do not include digital photographs which form the basis of much recording and reflection by students.

It was also good to be able to talk to the headteacher wwho was at the exhibition.  Mr Jones was  there for a long time and clearly made a point of talking to students and their parents celebrating their success. His enthusiasm as always was palpable. You can't help noticing that when senior leaders attend it does make a difference and that it doesn't always happen.

DIY Ofsted: New Guidance for Subject Reviews

On June 9 2010 Ofsted published draft guidance to be used on 'Subject Survey Visits'. These are subject visits by specialist Ofsted inspectors. The outcome is a letter containing the findings and judgements of the inspector. This letter is published on the Ofsted website. Such visits contain judgements about the subject in terms of:

* achievement;
* quality of teaching;
* quality of curriculum;
* effectiveness of leadership and management;
* overall effectiveness in the subject.

This draft guidance provides details of the subject specific criteria and grade descriptors that inspectors will use. Guidance is provided for all subjects. The value of this is that it provides a very useful template for schools and departments to use in their own self evaluation. Many schools now have a cycle of departmental reviews. This guidance will be useful to co-ordinate practice and to align judgements from subject to subject and with the broader Ofsted, SEF criteria. You can access the art guidance directly from this Ofsted site www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/20100015. You should note that this guidance is in draft only and is part of a consultation programme. If you would like to comment reply to subjectdescriptorssummer10@ofsted.gov.uk by 31 July 2010.

It is expected that the final guidance will be published in October 2010.

Supremely confident at Stowe

I was lucky to get access to this A Level exhibition at Stowe School on Saturday morning, but, of course, these students and their teachers work on Saturdays, as well as the rest of the week. The work is extraordinarily sophisticated showing a real depth of understanding about the work of artists which underpins students' own personal enquiry and research. This is working within a genre, but not 'working in the style of'. A key feature of all of the work here was the overwhelming quality and maturity of the painting.  It was really exciting to see so many large beautifully painted canvasses. They were painted with a reflective, self confident, fluidity which shows familiarity with good quality materials and with studio practice. But it was not all painting, I also found a second set of installations and the first prints I have seen in any of the shows visited so far.
A particulaly striking set of work was to be seen in the huge charcoal drawings done for AS Level. The investment in rolls of 'double elephant' paper certainly pays off. The energy and scale of this work in year 12 must be important in underwriting the subsequent work and practice of students. The exhibition takes place in the school 6th form art studio's with each student having their own bay to display their work.

Contemporary, and fine, art at the Royal Latin School

Spotted my first two 100% unadulterated installations this evening at the Royal Latin (see video). Both presented an enagaging and complex narrative and showed a confident understanding of contemporary practice they also smelled interesting (cigarrette butts and old wood and leaves). One, a  shed (coffin?) made of doors, was evocative, thought provoking and really impressive.

In the next room contemporary practice was balanced by studies from Caravagio and a Zeotrope (first created in China around 180 AD by the prolific inventor Ting Huan ). Then just balanced on a window frame was a tiny painting of a fragment or fragment of a painting which was a delight.

Talking to the headteacher (who had come to see the exhibition) we discussed house styles. It seems to me that this is less of a feature in many of the exhibitions I have seen this year. Indeed there are many similarities between schools. The large portrait is rather commonplace and most exhibitions seem to have some of these. Some schools do, of course, have particular strengths which successive generations of students do respond to. But there is little evidence of excessive teacher direction, or of work drawn exclusively from a narrow range of genres, or school of artists. One strength of the Royal Latin has been in the use of wire to define space. This year there is a delightful wire and butterfly piece (see video). Other sculpture invited you to lie down under a table to look at the stars.

This is serious and thoughtful work developed from the study of a wide range of artists ancient and modern. Students are also prepared to take risks. But they pay off. So it was good to hear about a student who I remember had made an wonderful sculpture - a ballet dress exhibited at MAD in 2007 - had just succeeded in getting a placement with Vivienne Westwood.


Royal Latin Grammar School from Dan China on Vimeo.

Chalfonts all singing and dancing and thinking

I've written alot about the digital work at Chalfonts before (for instance see Joe Benson's work). But it is really interesting to see how much more powerful some of these films are when projected onto a big screen (soft canvas with a nice texture) with a good sound system rather than on a small monitor. 

But the fine art work reminds me again of the way this department requires students to take risks and to think deeply about their work. I was talking to Greg about a student's work, noting her references to Vygotski and identity, while looking at her sketchbook page with drawings and photos of her father shaving his legs in the shower. This work really was deeply inquisitive about identity and explored sexual identity with an honest frankness. Elsewhere are some big mournful self portraits as well, but these are moderated by other portraits with jaunty references to self identity and gender stereotyping.

Another characteristic of work in this school is the way that they translate special studies into quirky imaginative pieces - a scroll rolled up, sealed and placed in a high heeled shoe is one. The special study about graffitti is produced as the labels for spray cans with the different colour cans becoming different chapters. But there are more - boxes and artefacts showing curiousity, imagination and humour.

As I write this discretely at the back of the gallery, the teachers and students are giving out prizes and certificates - everyone gets a prize. Its a real celebration and it is good to be here.

A Level Art EXHIBITION 2010

A small exhibition at John Colet

A small exhibition, not because of the quantity and scale of the work, but because it all had to be exhibited in a small art room.  Building works made space a premium in the school so no other suitable space was available. But art teachers do make do. So desktop screens were made and painted and work was mounted cheerfully.

It was interesting to be at the start of something and to meet the first student in the school to do photography. She had made a fascinating photograph of the London Eye - part photograph, part sculpture. I understand that next year there will be many more students opting for photography. So it will be interesting to see that grow, although the department is wrestling with ways to resource it. A couple of old, small computers and Photoshop Elements may not be sufficient, and a teacher's personal laptop will only go so far. Despite the narrow confines of the exhibition, I did enjoy some fine painting and research books, especially a page devoted to Frank Auerbach.

Talking of the study of art I wonder if the success of the Tate Modern is in any way a consequence of the fact that the national curriculum has brought in the study of art and artists at every age, and all children now leave school knowing what art is and something about what an artist does. Study at 6th form level, as shown here, increasingly provides evidence of a rich understanding of the role of art and artists in our society. I do hope the deconstructing of the curriculum does not undo this.

A large exhibition at John Hampden

It is always big here. The department consistently produces really strong, large, robust paintings. I always enjoy these, its a boys school and it shows. So its not quite Jenny Saville more Euston Road. Both of these big confident canvasses are by the same student. The studies were wonderful as well, some really finely controlled line and others with the same robust confident brushwork.  (see the online gallery)

There is a really strong tradition of drawing and mark making here. Every year the school takes part in the Royal Academy life drawing programme. Some of this work is remarkable for the confident fluidity and quality of the lines. This year there was also some intriguing sculptural model making (see in the video) It seems to be a secondary theme for many of the exhibitions I have seen. Quirky, curious sculptures were also seen at Misbourne and Amersham yesterday and at Sir Henry Floyd and Waddesdon. The other main theme this year is large portraits and here there was a wonderful set of three very large, unstretched, hanging canvases with a softly stained face - rather Turin shroud like. Unfortunately I could not get a picture as they were hung behind screens-but if the school would like to send me one it would be good to put in the online gallery. 

Rich textiles (and shakespeare) at Highcrest

I have known Highcrest School for 15 years and have 'Ofsteded' it twice. However, I have not visited for a couple of years now - not since the current teachers took up post. It was a real joy to see the transformation in the work. There was an almost 50% improvement in A*-C grades last year and this show was remarkable for the confident, accomplished and fully commited work by students. The quality of the craftsmanship (womanship) and attention to detail is excellent as you can see from the images here. All students presented work which was very carefully finished supported by well researched and intelligent investigation. Some of the textiles based work was a delight and some of this showed a richness and depth which was a million miles away from the work I recall seeing there years ago. A huge improvement. 

I know that the school has received excellent support from an AST from Sir William Ramsay school. Staff generously acknowledge this influence and well done to Annie.

II


I suspect her influence will be felt here and in other schools she has worked in for some time to come. Annie is now working in Hertfordshire so lucky Hertfordshire. But was intriguing to see the cultural references with rich textiles used purposefully to make an intellectual point and the video shows an illuminated book of poems, including Shakespeare ... season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

Wonderfully whimsical A Level from Misbourne

Just love this A Level piece from Misbourne.

Photos, life drawing and sculpture at Amersham

Curious to visit a second exhibition with fine photography in the same evening. Again students showed a strong sense of composition and a very fine and subtle use of colour. It was especially interesting to see the accumulation of visual research and references being developed in portfolios.  I recall discussing the importance of discipline in shaping and capturing compositions last year partly as a result of the practice of 'wet' photography which made each shot significant. I understand that there was less darkroom work this year but despite the reliance on photoshop there was still alot of serious picture taking and relatively little use of filters. Perhaps we are all growing out of the indiscriminant use of filters at A Level - and GCSE as well.

Other work was very well grounded and the life drawing showed strong drawing and observational skills which underpinned some of the very large, curious and intriguing scupltures. Life drawing is done in the art room over a block of 4 sessions. These are led by an external tutor who also provides the model. Caroline (HoD) was pleased that a significant number of her students had gained a place on the BNU Foundation course. We both noted how a life class can make a significant difference to students - attitudes as well as skills - and I am sure this was a valuable experience for these students on a variety of levels. Other key images in the exhibition include the number of very large painted portraits. This is, in fact, a feature of all exhibitions so far this year.

Excellent photography and a fish shop at Misbourne

This show was really exciting especially because of the excellent photography on display. Really intelligent highly crafted technically accomplished images. It takes alot to get much from a banana but a sequence of studies shows a real subtlety and appreciation of fine nuances of colour and texture.

The portfolio's also showed the serious study of good photographs and photographers. Many students had developed a working practice which captuted people and places with sensitivity and a strong complositional control. Often students work is based on sites in London. Interesting to see how their work is drawing them outwards looking again at their environment. It was good to meet the keen, enthusiastic, teacher working with these students (NQT - really terrific first year she should feel very proud).

The fine art work was eclectic and often funny. I enjoyed student's work using boxes and  50s Marilyn iconography. One whole corner was taken up with an installation of a fishmongers shop complete with life size trays of oysters, fish and a lobster - see the video.

Dramatic art at Beaconsfield High

The exhibition at Beaconsfield High today presented work from years 10, 11, 12 and 13. Some of the GCSE work was very strong and I use the term advisedly, because the portraits and treatment was robust and vigorous. I particularly enjoyed some of the rich, encrusted, distressed research books. 
A Level work also showed very strong and dramatic images - especially portraits. There were some wonderfully vigorous and powerful drawings. These were not pretty pieces but strong and aggressive statements.  There was an interesting counterpoint where work which superficially drew upon the work of Georgia O'Keefe was in fact much darker - working from a study of tattoo with imagery and text which was nihilistic and despairing.
But these were complemented by other more predictable well researched, subtle and decorative studies taking William Morris as a starting point. But on the whole not a 'pretty girly' show at all. More work from this exhibition can be seen on Flickr.