Art / Photography

Valued – Inspired – Prepared

Westhaven School is a unique learning environment with high expectations for learners who experience barriers to learning for a range of reasons. We promote a calm environment that enables everyone to learn. The golden thread that permeates our curriculum and our conduct through every school day are the core values that shape our learners to be:

  • safely independent
  • confident communicators
  • respectful citizens
  • resilient learners
  • inquisitive thinkers

The Westhaven Way is our ethos and it underpins our daily approach to behaviour and learning.

At Westhaven, we encourage learners to explore and enjoy creating works of art through visual, tactile and sensory experiences. We nurture and celebrate individual talents and interests through exciting termly projects focusing on a range of drawing, painting, printmaking and three-dimensional work. 


At Westhaven, we inspire learners through contemporary, local and well-known artists from around the world. Our spiral curriculum promotes opportunities to develop their confidence in experimenting using different mediums, techniques and processes.

Explore: Learners are encouraged to investigate with an extensive variety of mediums including charcoal, inks, oil pastels, acrylics, chalk markers, watercolours, etc.

Inspire: We cover a multitude of different artists from around the world, celebrating different cultures and movements including local artists from Bristol. Some important artists from history are repeated in KS2-3, for example, Miro and Hundertwasser, to support the spiral curriculum approach.  

Create: Learners have many opportunities to create their own works of art, through multiple drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture schemes of work at every key stage. 

Techniques: Many art processes and techniques are revisited and built upon throughout the key stages. For example with Printmaking; in KS1 learners use hands, feet, and objects to create prints. In KS2 they progress onto polyprints, block prints, and collagraphs. At KS3 the learning is embedded through different monotype and monoprinting projects. 

Westhaven Art and Our 5 Westhaven Values

All learners at Westhaven study Art throughout KS1, KS2 and KS3. Art and Photography are optional subjects at KS4 which are outlined in more detail below. Prepare to learn classes (P2L) are taught once a week for 30 minutes. Ready to learn classes (R2L) for one hour a week. All KS3 and KS4 learners are taught by an Art specialist.  

All learners in UKS2 and KS3 use A4 sketchbooks to explore and record their ideas. These learners have access to word mats throughout the lessons to support their vocabulary and subject specific keywords linking to the different topics studied.

KS1 and LKS2 classes work on A3 paper or larger which is organised into display folders for learners to revisit.

Some of our schemes of learning in KS1-3 follow the Access Art pathways.

At KS4 we offer the WJEC GCSE Art & Design (Fine Art) and GCSE Art & Design (Photography).

Alongside these qualifications we offer the Entry Pathways Creative, Media and Performance Arts modules; Drawing & PaintingPrintmakingPhotography and Ceramics


GCSE Art & Design (Fine Art)

During Year 10, learners explore many drawing, painting and printing techniques through a ‘Natural Forms’ project. They begin working towards a final piece early in Year 11 and experience a 5 hour mock exam just before Christmas. In Term 3 of Year 11, they begin the ESA (exam) which is determined by the exam board followed by a 10 hour exam in May. KS4 learners work in a way which is preferred to them. This may be through sketchbooks or on separate paper which is later organised appropriately for moderation in Term 5 of Yr 11.

GCSE Art & Design (Photography)

Photography is a very popular subject at KS4. Learners work digitally to record their work using Google Slides. During Year 10 they learn about camera functions, google slides portfolios, contact sheets and basic editing skills. In Year 11 they embark on one major independent project with a 5 hour mock exam at the end of Term 2. Their exam project starts at the beginning of term 3. We also offer a day trip to Bristol for photograph opportunities in Term 3 of Year 11 to support their exam preparation.

‘Worms eye view’ by Max Yr10 23/24

“Photography gives me the freedom to explore my creativity” –  Dylan, Yr 11 22/23

“Studying Art & Photography gives me the chance to show my emotions through my work” – Charlie, Yr 11 22/23

“Studying Photography has given me the opportunity to be inspired by amazing photographers I have never heard or seen the work of before”  – Ethan, Yr 10 22/23

GCSE Results post COVID-19