Head of Department
Mrs E Portbury

KS4 & 5 Specification – AQA

The Art Department at West Kirby Grammar School aims to produce the very best artists and designers. We challenge learners through teaching and learning to strive to reach their full potential and become visually and artistically literate in their chosen specialism. The department consists of three teachers and a technician, who are all subject specialists. 

At Key Stage 3, students study art for one lesson a week. In Year 7, students will develop foundation skills, learning different drawing techniques, colour theory, artist research, painting and design. In Years 8 and 9, students will build on these key skills and have opportunities to explore themes through Fine Art, Textile Design and Graphic Communications. Our SOWs are engaging and challenge and stretch students within and outside of the classroom. We aim to develop and build on students’ confidence and resilience in parallel with skills, knowledge and understanding. At KS3 students have the opportunity to attend extra-curricular art activities at lunchtime. We encourage students to take part in internal and external art competitions and students have the option to partake in the Young Artist Award.

We offer three GCSE courses in Fine Art, Textile Design and Graphic Communication, which are popular option choices. Students will develop their creativity, imagination and ability to express their ideas visually, developing new and practical skills and techniques within one area. 

The GCSE courses involve students developing ideas through investigating artists/designers and craftspeople both practically and with written analysis, to explore different materials, techniques and processes and reviewing and refining work as it progresses. Students will record ideas through photography and direct experience, and this will lead to making final responses that make connections to a particular theme and focus artists/designers and craftspeople. As part of the GCSE course, students will produce a coursework portfolio and are set a practical externally set assignment by the exam board.

At A- level, students can progress onto either Fine Art, Textile Design or Graphic Communication. The A-level Art and Design courses allow learners to develop independent working and creative thinking, problem-solving skills and the ability to work and think independently which are all key skills in the world of work. Through a creative subject, our learners learn how to research, apply and present their ideas and thoughts creatively. Each Art and Design course will develop work through a coursework portfolio and external set assignment. The coursework portfolio is made up of a personal investigative study which enables students to develop their interests in art at A-level. Each Art and Design course will allow students to develop a wide range of work to put together as a portfolio suitable for application to either a Foundation Course in Art and Design or a direct entry into an Art and Design-based degree course.

We are proud of the opportunities we offer our students to enrich their learning including workshops with visiting artists, trips to Barcelona, Art galleries and Warner Bros Studios London. We exhibit students' work and encourage our students to enter local and national art competitions.

Key Stage 3 curriculum map

Key Stage 4 Curriculum Map

Why Study Art?

WKGS Art Instagram

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examination results

69%

of GCSE students achieved grades 9-7

90%

of GCSE students achieved grades 9-6

100%

of GCSE students achieved grades 9-4

What we’ve been up to…

20Mar '24

UK Team Member - NASA Space Design Competition

We have amazing news to share as Molly (#WKGSY10) has been selected to represent Team UK at the international finals of the NASA Space Design Competition. Having been part of the winning team at the UK Space Design competition earlier this month, Molly now becomes one of only 12 students to represent the UK at the finals which take place at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida this summer. Molly was also the youngest member of the winning team from WKGS, making this an even more exceptional achievement. Well done Molly, good luck with the international final!

14Mar '24

Sixth Form & Year 11 Careers Fair

We are pleased to announce the dates for our annual Careers Fair which will take place on Wednesday 24th April and Wednesday 1st May 2024. These proved very popular last year and have now been expanded to include Year 11 as well as Sixth Form students. We are looking for representatives from a range of career areas and higher/further education institutes who would be willing to speak to our students about their area of expertise. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to represent your company/organisation at the event, please contact Mrs Harris-Smith by email at sharris@wkgs.net

12Mar '24

Congratulations to our Year 8 Netball team!

Congratulations to the Y8 Netball team who were winners of the Wirral Schools League. They beat Wirral in their semi-final and Birkenhead School in a brilliant final! Well done to everyone who has played this season.

12Mar '24

UK Space Design Competition

A team of 11 students from West Kirby Grammar School were in the winning team at the National Final of the UK Space Design Competition which took place at Imperial College, London on the weekend of 2nd - 3rd March.

11Mar '24

WKGS Music Department news

Students Han, Laoise, Esme, Phoebe and Imogen, all members of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, performed yesterday at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

01Mar '24

Congratulations Year 7 2024-25

Congratulations Year 7 2024-25! We look forward to welcoming our new Year 7 students to our school.

27Feb '24

Limited places available for Sixth Form

Limited places available for Sixth Form

13Feb '24

Wirral Schools Netball League

Well done to the netballers from Y7, Y8 and Y9 who played in the Wirral Schools Netball League tonight. Two wins and a draw for our teams. Super proud of you all!

13Feb '24

Year 4 & 5 Information Evening

We would like to invite prospective students along with their parents/carers to join us for our Year 4 & 5 Information Evening on Tuesday 23rd April. Book your place now by visiting the link : Year 4 & 5 Information Evening - Tuesday 23 April 2024

12Feb '24

Open Morning Tours 2024

We would like to invite parents/carers of prospective students (lower school and sixth form) to join us for an Open Morning Tour of WKGS. We have limited places available for the 13th March tour and are now taking bookings for the April and May dates. https://wkgs.org/open-morning-tours-2024

08Feb '24

Chinese New Year

Students have enthusiastically embraced the celebration of Chinese New Year, particularly as it marks the Year of the Dragon. The festivities were made even more memorable thanks to Mr Vane's outstanding annual assembly which featured delightful touches like fortune cookies, Chinese lanterns and vibrant wall displays. Students were also able to enjoy a selection of delicious Chinese food in the canteen.

31Jan '24

Taster day at University of Liverpool

Taster day at University of Liverpool Our Year 9 students enjoyed a Computer Science Taster Day within the Department of Computer Science at the University of Liverpool. They were treated to a series of workshops and enjoyed practical activities based on parallel sorting algorithms, application of Wavefunction collapse in generating images, encryption and coding/robotics. A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all.

24Jan '24

Congratulations

It's an exciting time of year for our all our year 13 students as they start to receive university, apprenticeship and employment offers. Well done to all students who have received offers so far and special congratulations to this year's four Oxbridge offer holders.

22Jan '24

@WkgsFutures

We'd like to invite our school community to follow our brand new @WkgsFutures account on Instagram and X (Twitter). We will be regularly sharing details of extracurricular activities, work experience placements and apprenticeship opportunities.

04Dec '23

Sunday Times Parent Power

We are delighted to announce that we are rated as the top state secondary school in the Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2024 for Wirral and Chester & Cheshire West. We'd like to thank our fantastic school community of students, staff and parents/carers for making this possible.