Art & Design provides pupils with the opportunity to acquire creative and critical skills for learning, life and work. The courses are designed to encourage pupils’ creativity and provide platforms to express themselves. Learning through Art & Design helps pupils to develop an appreciation of aesthetics and cultural values, identities and ideas. Our pupils can take advantage of attending extracurricular clubs, entering local and national competitions, and having their work showcased at various exhibitions. Supported study is offered for senior phase courses and provides extra assistance and expertise when needed

At this stage of learning pupils will develop a wide range of skills through Critical, Design and Expressive activities. Each year pupils explore the visual elements such as colour, tone, shape, pattern and texture using a variety of different materials. The courses and programmes of work have been developed using the CfE Experiences and Outcomes in tandem with the Benchmarks for Expressive Arts. Homework is set at regular times throughout the year and is designed to enhance and support the classroom learning. Pupils are given the opportunity for inter-disciplinary learning during S1, S2 and S3.

At this stage of the learning the department offers National Art & Design from level 3 to 5, Higher Art & Design, Advanced Higher Art & Design and Higher Photography. The purposes of all the Art & Design courses is to provide a broad practical and critical experience in both Expressive and Design studies that can be developed into more challenging contexts as pupils progress through the levels. Pupils will learn about artists’ and designers’ and how they impact and alter the world we live in. The Higher Photography course engages pupils in camera techniques and contextual image making. Pupils will learn about genres and styles in photography such as Still Life or Portraiture; and High Key or Monochrome. The course assessment project will be specific to the individual and give pupils the opportunity to develop a more personal body of work.