Art

Igniting Creative Passion

The Prep School Art Department at Ardingly College provides stimulus and opportunities for children to develop their creativity and imagination. A wide range of technical skills are taught alongside encouragement of experimentation and visual investigation.

Art in the Curriculum

Prep School students at Ardingly receive specialist Art lessons on a weekly basis. We also work closely with other departments in the school to link the work students do in Art with other subjects, wherever possible. Students are given the opportunity to develop their skills using a wide variety of techniques, media and processes:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Textiles.

Students take time to research and appreciate artists’ work and develop their analytical, creative and critical thinking skills.

Art outside the curriculum in the School HOuse

• Co-Curricular Art. Those children who are keen to pursue Art further can attend Art club sessions each week, where they build on their passion for the subject. They have the time to develop their projects and work collaboratively in both 2D and 3D media.
• Art Exhibitions. We hold a combined Pre-Prep and Prep School Art Exhibition, to display and celebrate the incredible work our children have created. We also work closely with the Prep School Drama Department to create props and scenery for their performances.
• Art Competitions. Pupils have the opportunity to enter a range of creative competitions throughout the year, both at Ardingly and by representing the College in external competitions. An annual Whole School Art Exhibition and competition is held every Michaelmas term in the Senior School Art Gallery, which showcases a wide range of work from students across the whole College.

Art Facilities

The light and spacious Prep School Art Studio in the School House provides an inviting and inspiring environment for lessons and extra-curricular activities. Pupils’ work is displayed here and in other locations around the College. We are also able to take advantage of the beautiful school building and outdoor environments with drawing and ephemeral art activities. The Art Department is situated next to the Prep School Library and ICT suite, allowing access for visual research.

Art Staff

The Art Department in the Prep School is run by our team of three specialist Art teachers. We each maintain our own professional Art practice and have a diverse range of skills between us.