Art

The art room at Aldro is a hub of activity every week. Children in all year groups have one hour of art each week to try a number of styles, mediums and techniques.

In addition, there are two enrichment sessions, giving children an opportunity to explore their creativity beyond the curriculum. The activities within these sessions vary every term. Recent popular classes have explored drypoint etchings using recycled CDs, rendering popular artworks in Hama Beads, mini book-making, embroidery, mindful Mandala drawing and learning how to draw paisley patterns.

On Monday afternoons, children who are preparing for Art Scholarship attend a masterclass, which helps them to develop a dynamic and interesting portfolio of art, with a comprehensive sketchbook to support their work. On Thursday afternoons, pupils are able to attend an art masterclass, extending their skills and exploring their independent creativity.

Our aim is to broaden children’s experience of a wide range of materials, media and techniques, including graphics, painting, printing, textiles, mixed media.

Sketchbooks

Pupils are given A4 soft cover sketchbooks in Form Three. Sketchbooks are kept from one Form to the next and replaced as they are filled.  Pupils are encouraged to use their sketchbooks to sketch as well as to explore ideas and experiment with techniques.  They are also used to collect visual information and inspiration.  Pupils are encouraged to see their sketchbooks as a personal space to explore their creativity; they are not marked by the teacher but they are monitored on an individual level and encouragement and guidance are given. 

Digital Portfolios

In Forms 6, 7 and 8, pupils take full advantage of their personal laptops, keeping digital portfolios on Teams. They record progress regularly and photograph their final masterpieces. They also use this platform to review and reflect on their work.

We enable children to record from first-hand experience and from imagination, and to select their own ideas to use in their work

Artistic styles and mediums

Drawing

Drawing is the foundation of most projects. Pupils are encouraged to draw from direct observation as well as from their imagination. They experience a variety of drawing surfaces and a broad range of drawing media, different scales. They draw for different purposes, for example to explore ideas, to explain ideas to themselves and others, to record information about what they have observed. 

Printing

Painting

Children paint with a variety of water-based media, such a gouache, watercolours and ready mixed tempera, as well as acrylic paints, in the upper years. All these media are available in the Double Primary System, encouraging pupils to learn to mix their own colours accurately and consistently.

Ceramics

Aldro boasts 2 kilns, allowing pupils to explore a range of ceramic techniques, including coil and slab building, pinch pots and free form sculpture. They learn about the Health and Safety surrounding the use of clay and glazes. Their work is bisque fired and either glazed and fired again, or painted and varnished.

Textiles

Children in Form 8 design and paint silk ties, which they wear with pride towards the end of the year. Boys and girls are equally enthusiastic about this project, which incorporates study of the history of Sericulture (silk farming) and the welfare issues surrounding the cultivation of silkworms for silk production.

We foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and a knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers.

Exhibitions and competitions

Aldro’s Celebration of Art competition is always a very memorable event which is open to Aldro children and to local schools in the community. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the school’s budding artists to have their work displayed in a public exhibition for visitors to admire, in a transformed ASC! It’s always wonderful to see so much Aldro artwork on display and so many pupils awarded prizes for their efforts. The prize giving ceremony is an evening event, allowing artists to invite friends and family to attend and celebrate their achievements.

We also hold regular holiday art challenges, like the Post-it Note art challenge and the Medical Room Art challenge.

We aim to increase critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art and design in different times and cultures.

Scholarships

For those with artistic flair, there is a well-established programme of support for art scholars. In recent years, Aldro graduates have achieved art scholarships to Harrow, Radley, Charterhouse, Abingdon and Cranleigh.