Prep Art & Design
Art
Any visitor to RGS Prep will immediately be struck by the variety and quality of art on display. Everyone who pauses to examine the works will be impressed by the individuality of character showcased by these displays.
The teaching and learning in this subject aims above all to stimulate an individual expressive response of the boys’ own ideas, values, and viewpoint.
Creative projects in clay, felt, papier maché, card, paint, chalk, pencil, collage and wire allow the boys to see their imaginations realised in physical form. The theme might be universal but experimentation is keenly encouraged.
The Art Department is among our most active in organising trips to exhibitions, galleries, and activity centres to ensure the boys gain the widest possible appreciation of what art means, and what it means to make it.
Design & Technology
Our DT programme enables our students to think innovatively and has close links to the senior school’s GCSE and A level pathway. The skills we teach the students now, we are confident will aid them in their future studies. Students are timetabled for a double lesson every week, which allows plenty of time to learn and get stuck in with practicals. Our specialist teachers present engaging, hands-on lessons that encourage the students to use both their creativity and technical skills for design solutions.
The workshop is equipped with advanced tools and machinery which, with careful instruction, students as young as 9 years old can explore. Through research and design, manufacturing, and evaluation, our carefully crafted projects encourage students to take calculated risks and follow the full DT process. The students also participate in non-construction projects including coding, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer-aided manufacture (CAM), all of which are important skills in the ever-increasing technological age.
The department works in conjunction with other subjects so that students have a breadth of knowledge to draw upon for their projects. Our cross-curricular connections include literacy; numeracy; science; computing; the environment; economy; history, and diversity.
Outside of timetabled lessons, we provide lunchtime DT drop-in sessions, internal workshops, field trips, House competitions, enrichment activities on the weekends, and opportunities to work with other schools as part of our programme.
We are confident that during your son’s time at RGS Prep he will enjoy exciting projects and challenges, and will learn skills that will help him with his future studies.