Art
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The Francis Holland School Art Department believes in the fundamental importance of Art in nurturing the creative development and wellbeing of our pupils. Practical learning urges the individual to accept mistakes, resolve problems and persevere.
We strive to provide an inspiring, energetic and creatively challenging environment where our pupils explore ideas, research concepts, critique their own work and that of others, experiment with materials and realise their own creations. Our young learners become independent, confident and creative artists.
We aim to develop pupils’ enjoyment, confidence and independence in Art and Design, so that they are at the centre of the creative process. This is of course a gradual process of building skills and developing understanding, through structured schemes of work that are continually widening the breadth of personal choice as pupils progress through the school.
The Art Department which underwent a transformational renovation in 2021, is situated on the top floor of the Ivor Place site and is a bright, airy space complemented by large windows to harness plenty of natural light.
In the first three years, pupils explore a range of mediums including sculpture, painting and screen printing; and a range of artists including Jenny Saville, Wayne Thiebaud and Lisa Milroy. Looking and thinking about artists’ work is an essential part of teaching in the department. Pupils are encouraged to have the confidence to engage with contemporary ideas in making art and form their own personal response to the work looked at.
A large percentage of girls choose to study Art at GCSE and A Level where our expert Art teachers stretch and challenge students’ breadth of knowledge and skills. By the second year of the GCSE course (Edexcel Art and Design Fine Art) students are working on fully independent projects where they are able to respond to a given theme through their own selected medium, following their own research and ideas.
The A Level course starts with a short introductory project and workshops based on a given theme, which are designed to extend and broaden students’ working practices. This leads into independent work taking that thematic further into a resolved body of work. This gives our students the confidence and skills to tackle the Thematic External Examination. By the final year of their Sixth Form we see our students as self-directing young artists, who time and time again flourish in the challenge and responsibility of their own work.
The end of year Art Exhibition is a highlight in FHS’s calendar and offers the opportunity for Art students to present their work, in a professional manner, to peers, parents, teachers and friends. Art Foundation courses are a post-FHS pathway fully supported by the School and championed by Head of Art, Ms Carew. In 2022, three A Level students were accepted on to Art Foundation courses to further their study before applying for an art-related discipline.
Throughout the school week, we offer numerous clubs for girls in all years. Comics Club and Junior Art Club are run by our Art Technicians for Lower School students at lunchtimes. Life Drawing is organised for GCSE and A Level artists as part of their extended curriculum.
For the last few years, in participation with Debbi Clarke CEO and founder of Von Herkomer Arts Foundation, we have provided Junior and Senior Photography Clubs. HVH ARTS is a registered charity inspiring a generation of young people by offering them a gateway to the arts. By funding after and out of school classes in primary and secondary state schools in England, the Foundation provides children with the inspiration and tools to develop lifelong artistic passions.
Our A Level and GCSE artists are lucky to be situated near to many of the world’s most prestigious art collections. The Wallace Collection is moments away. The National Gallery, The Courtauld, and Tate Britain are regularly visited. As the subject also has a modern and contemporary focus, the Tate Modern and the commercial galleries of central London are prime resources. The exam board encourages students to study works of art from first-hand and we are in such a privileged position to enable this to happen on a regular basis here in London.
Trips Abroad
The department also takes great pleasure in arranging study trips abroad so pupils can observe firsthand the art they have studied in class. Recent visits include study trips to Italy, visiting both Rome and Florence. We regularly visit Paris on the Eurostar. We have also taken artists and art historians to New York to explore first-hand the energetic art scene. They visited MOMA The Met, The Whitney and other private galleries.
We offer art scholarships to our most able and talented art students. There is an application process where candidates will submit photographs of their own work before a smaller shortlist will be invited to produce a still life exercise, submit a portfolio and attend a specialist interview with the Head of Art.
Scholarships are available at 11+ and 16+; more information is available here.
The Department is comprised of five committed and highly experienced members of staff, who teach across all disciplines offered within the Department, supported by our specialist technicians. We have two experienced Art Technicians who are on hand to support staff and artists in the department.
