Photography

Photography for our pupils is the opportunity to capture a moment in time, create a narrative and express a student's thoughts and emotions.

Key Stage 4 - GCSE - Year's 10 and 11

The Photography course is currently only offered at Key Stage 4. The GCSE course is a brilliant vehicle for pupils to explore their environment and record their learning journey through a lens. It requires pupils to have a “get up and go” approach to their work and to engage proactively with the process.

The choices of study are led by the pupils, who are able to self-select from a series of starting points and create something which is intrinsically personal to them. The aim of the course is to encourage pupils to ask questions and explore the world around them. Narrative, architecture, graphic design, and mood-based images are very popular starting points; however, discussions with subject tutors can often lead to new and interesting avenues of study.

Developing their knowledge of the tools they have at their disposal and encouraging an open-ended, questioning approach to the creation of their portfolios is at the essence of the course exploring and refining their approach to composition, colour, lighting, setting, and subject matter.

Pupils explore the work of others and take inspiration in order to progress and develop their own skills. We have a small photography studio which pupils can book and use during lessons or after school.

Alongside the practical photo-taking, pupils learn about various epochs in photography and develop research and analysis skills, which they put to good use in extending their learning and offering deeper insight into their own work—making written and visual references to those who have come before them.

Each pupil will produce a personal body of work which will be unique to them and unlike anything their peers produce.

Creativity, a passion for documenting the world, curiosity, and a “What if?” attitude are the building blocks of a truly stunning and deeply personal portfolio of work.

Across all year groups, our pupils are taken to visit galleries to view and respond to original artworks first-hand. We often visit local galleries and aim to explore further afield with our GCSE pupils.

Exhibitions of our pupils' work are regularly displayed around school and at local sites within Sheffield. For example, we have a close relationship with the Botanical Gardens.

Art Competitions: Each year, we enter pupils into the Sheffield Young Artists Exhibition and the Royal Academy of Arts – Young Artists’ Summer Show, allowing all our pupils the chance to exhibit in a world-renowned London gallery.

All pupils participate in Art Enrichment sessions, enabling them to work as a team and gain valuable insight into the creative industries.

Friday Flyer – A round-up of what’s happening on the arts scene in Sheffield and beyond.