Photography Curriculum Statement
Within Photography students gain a deeper understanding of the photographic process, developing ideas and intentions, through the use of photographic equipment and techniques. The subject demands innovation, resilience and reflection, it demands analysis and teaches life skills in which students consider new ways of looking at variety of aspects across society, it requires students to challenge themselves, develop opinions and take inspiration from everything they see.
The intent of the Photography curriculum is to stimulate the senses and allow students an opportunity to not only enhance their own understanding but to expresses themselves in a manner that they may not have had the opportunity to do before.
The Photography curriculum will:
- Encourage the development of the Academy’s values: wisdom, curiosity, generosity, courage and passion.
- Ensure that pupils are challenged, engaged and motivated to be able:
- At a personal level, to develop increasing levels of reflection, confidence, expression, self-worth and cultural capital.
- At an economic level, to develop and be able to apply not only the vast range of skills necessary to access one of the fastest growing industries in the UK today but also transferable skills which set them in a strong position to enter any role successfully, understanding the importance of diversity and imagination in their approaches to problem solving.
- At a societal level, to play a meaningful role in their local, national and international communities, recognising the importance of a wide variety of cultural, social and contextual influences in their everyday life.This is developed further through the rich offer in Photography around the Supra-Curriculum
- Provide a coherent knowledge base that is appropriately powerful, transferable and intelligently sequenced, thereby enabling pupils to retain and recall knowledge, develop understanding and apply skills.
- Provide a meaningful experience that can be used to build wider cultural capital and cognitive ability.
- Celebrate pupil activities within and beyond formal timetabled arrangements that are memorable, inspiring and life-changing.
To implement the intended curriculum, a number of conceptual and organisational frameworks are used:
- Key concepts have been carefully mapped to ensure transition through from Year 9 to Year 13, whilst also acknowledging the cross curricular links that have been developed throughout a student’s academic journey.
- Departmental curriculum review frameworks which supports the review of the curriculum offer and assessment practice.
- Departmental SoWs balance development and application of knowledge, skills and creative processes, carefully exposing students to a diverse range of cultural and contextual influences as well as allowing them to identify a variety of methods for the implementation of the formal elements. Detailed SoW are produced for each project clearly identifying:
- Overarching learning objectives and intended skills development, ensuring all learners build clear understanding of the formal elements and necessary techniques as they progress.
- Artist focus and key activities, ensuring continuity for a coherent and meaningful experience across the department whilst allowing staff freedom in their pedagogical approaches.
- Stretch and challenge opportunities to further develop confidence, independence and metacognitive ability.
- Literacy opportunities, supporting the academies emphasis on Language for Learning, providing a framework to create and refine successful approaches to the teaching of Reading, Writing and Speaking with an emphasis on reflection, evaluation and analysis.
- SMSC and core academy values with an emphasis on curiosity, passion and self-awareness to develop confidence and resilience as learners.
- Extracurricular and cross curricular provision reviews allow students the opportunity to participate in wider opportunities that develop a broad understanding of cultural and contextual influences.
- Maximising Learning as well as regular attendance at LTSA SCN meetings and regular departmental skills share sessions provide a supportive framework for the wider development of effective pedagogical approaches.
- Maximising Effectiveness provides a suite of CPD opportunities for staff within the academy to further generate an enthusiasm for and enjoyment of their professional practice.
The department’s continued focus on the curriculum improves:
- The quality of education for all learners and groups of learners
- The personal development and well-being of learners
- The chances for pupils to move successfully onto the next stage of their lives.
- The cultural, economic and societal capital to become citizens of the world