Introduction

The curriculum at Haberdashers’ Boys’ School is designed to enrich pupils in a broad range of subjects. During Year 7 every pupil studied a large number of subjects, many of these on a carousel. When the pupils moved into Year 8 they were asked to select two languages in order to provide space within the curriculum to study some subjects in greater depth. In Year 9 pupils make further choice in order to allow some subjects a greater proportion of curriculum time.

Creative and Technical Subjects

In Year 9 pupils will study two creative/technical subjects from: Art & Design (Fine Art & Graphic Communication), Design & Technology, Drama, Music and Computing & ICT. These subjects will have a greater number of lessons than in Year 8 and the pupils will begin to prepare for the GCSE course in terms of knowledge and skills.

Languages

The school provides an ambitious and exciting provision for all linguists. Every pupil will currently be studying two of the following languages which they chose at the end of Year 7:

French German Latin Spanish

Your child may continue to study their current chosen two languages. Alternatively, they may decide to begin to study Arabic instead of either of their current languages. The courses in French, German, Latin and Spanish are not designed for beginners, therefore no pupil may choose to begin learning these languages in Year 9.

Many of the subjects listed above will need to be taken in Year 9 in order for students to be able to opt for them for GCSE. This is an important consideration when making choices for next year.

Art & Design

What are Art & Design: Fine Art and Art & Design: Graphic Communication?

In Art & Design pupils produce original and creative personal work. They are encouraged to explore a wide range of media and techniques e.g. drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, print making, collage and digital design. Pupils develop their skills and ideas through a series of sketchbooks and outcomes. Popular areas of study which usually require pupils to have studied Art & Design are Architecture, Graphic Communication, Digital Design, Film & Media, Industrial Design, Illustration, Animation and of course Fine Art.

What skills are involved/developed through the courses?

• Intellectual, imaginative, creative and intuitive capabilities • Lateral thinking, resourcefulness, problem solving, ability to be reflective and make decisions • Self-motivation, resilience, self-management, enthusiasm designing and presenting • The ability to record observations and insights in visual and written form using a range of media • Investigative, analytical, experimental, practical, technical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and critical judgement • Independence of mind in developing, refining and communicating their own ideas, their own intentions and their own personal practical outcomes • Knowledge and experience of real-world contexts and, where appropriate, links to the creative industries • Knowledge and understanding of interrelationships between art, craft, design, media and technologies in contemporary and past societies and cultures

What sort of pupil do they suit and what will they get out of the courses?

Art & Design courses suit any pupil who has an interest and passion for artistic experimentation. Pupils taking this course value the opportunity to investigate their own themes, to “think differently” and to enhance their ability in many transferable skills.

What’s the difference between Fine Art & Graphic Communication?

Fine Art

In Art pupils will study genres such as portraiture, still life, landscape and abstract. They will study artists and designers mainly focussing on artists. Pupils may work in a range of media but tend to use drawing materials, paint, sculpting materials and photography.

Graphic Communication

In Graphic Communication pupils will study design topics such as poster design, logos, typography, and branding. They will study artists and designers mainly focussing on designers. Pupils may work in a range of media but tend to use drawing materials, printing processes, collage and digital design.