Art

Canford has a thriving Art department and the art school is a place where pupils can react creatively to the world around them. We encourage individuals to find areas of the subject that interest them and to work with confidence and ambition, through a wide range of exciting projects, workshops, lectures, exhibitions and trips. Pupils and staff are encouraged to produce creative, diverse and personal work that challenges expectations of what can be produced in a school environment. The results are work that is of the highest quality.

Students work within the broad boundaries of Fine Art in media such as painting, drawing, printmaking, construction, casting, glass, film, textiles, photography and installation work. Many will cross over between a number of these disciplines.

The department runs an exciting programme where visiting contemporary artists discuss their work and run practical workshops. These engaging events promote diverse and sophisticated responses.

The studios are open for all pupils well beyond the working day including a majority of weekends. Exhibitions and trips ensure pupils are aware of the subject beyond Canford and a large number choose to continue on to high profile Universities to study fine art, design, history of art and architecture. Study visits take place in term time and during the holidays and include New York, Berlin and Cornwall.

Move to Pre-U

Canford has chosen to move from the A level Art examination to the Cambridge Pre-U course, believing it to be more linear and more conducive to producing a truer reflection of artistic ability.  The style of the course is felt to be a strong foundation for Art college, with pupils able to produce more ambitious porfolios and work on a larger scale.  Pre-U offers a higher grading than A level, providing a further challenge for very able students.