Taylor Small

A melting pot of creativity, colour and canvases for the Caravaggios of today: in short, the Art Block at Challoner’s.

The team, lead by Mr Clayton, offers a broad curriculum that enables students to develop a range of skills; including clay working, sketching, painting and printing during the lessons that all boys take during Years 7 to 9. This provides an excellent foundation for the more extensive courses students may select at GCSE and A Level, the popularity of these options being testament to the great freedom they offer. Bobby Carter, a Year 11 student taking Art GCSE, particularly enjoys the ‘break from the academic elements of other subjects’ that the course provides for the more creatively inclined.

Barnaby Thornton
Edward Yan
Ben Spargo

Challoner’s annual Art and Graphics exhibition is a unique opportunity for GCSE and A Level students to display the pieces they have been working on. The array of styles from painting to automatic drawing make this event well worth a visit for aspiring students and parents alike.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/024rkN0CcrU

William Piper
George Tack
Dan Chapman
Tayler Small

The exhibition also demonstrates the extensive use of technology in the department. Many students choose to complement their physical pieces with digital media; software such as Adobe Illustrator is a popular choice for compiling images and text for presentation, with Photoshop being used for picture editing. Technology also offers a vast resource of tutorials and learning to enhance the skills developed in lessons.

However, the exceptional quality of the artwork produced at Challoner’s would not be achieved without the dedication of the teachers. Every Thursday after school, GCSE students are able to continue working on their projects under supervision. The commitment of the Art Team is mirrored by the enthusiasm of the students striving to hone their portfolios.

Barnaby Thornton

Art is a culturally enriching and fulfilling subject that makes a key contribution to the education and life of students at Challoner’s. In the melting pot of the Art Block, keen interest and talent development meet in a supportive and stimulating environment.