In Art, Craft and Design pupils develop an understanding of the visual, tactile and sensory world around them. Developing and understanding Art and Design activities pupils can communicate ideas and meanings, and learn to think and act as artists. In this way pupils develop and appreciate the role of Art and how it enriches all of our lives. The four key concepts are creativity, competence, cultural understanding and critical understanding. In Year 7 pupils will develop their understanding of the visual elements, by using a range of materials and processes. In Year 8 pupils will develop the visual elements by using themselves and the local area as a starting point. Year 9 pupils will focus their ideas on other cultures. In Years 10 and 11, pupils follow the AQA GCSE Art and Design course.
To develop the students Capital Culture the Art department runs a number of extracurricular trips. In Key Stage 4, as part of the natural forms element, students visit the Potteries Museum and Trentham Gardens to develop their knowledge.
In Key Stage 3 students visit the Potteries Museum to take part in an antibiotics clay workshop. Art Club also runs weekly where students can attend and work on individual projects or get involved in a whole school activity.