In creative arts, students discover a variety of art forms through a study of dance, drama, music and visual arts.
Studying the creative arts, students learn to appreciate, compose, listen, make and perform. Each art form has its own unique knowledge and skills, elements or concepts as well as a capacity to inspire and enrich lives.
Students must study 100 hours of both music and visual arts during Years 7 to 10. They also have an opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills in other art forms through elective subjects including drama, dance, photography and visual design. Students can then select from a range of courses in Years 11 to 12.
Visual Arts
Students in Visual Arts are provided with many opportunities to extend their art experiences through a wide range of media and techniques, by studying artists and artworks from history and the contemporary world. Students enter competitions and visit exhibitions, attending excursions to art galleries and exhibitions spaces, and participating in art workshops.
Visual Design
In Visual Design, students work to a design brief, so they create original designed works that fulfil a function. This course relates closely to real world situations and students are aware of their audience developing marketing strategies for their design responses through posters, brochures, websites etc
Photographic and Digital Media
In the Photographic and Digital media courses, students focus on traditional photographic and film techniques then develop art making practices using digital components. Students attend excursions to different exhibitions each year that relate to photographic and digital media to help them develop their practice.
Street Art
Students collaborate in this PBL (Project Based Learning) course, applying and adapting the techniques of street artists to a local site. Students negotiate with council for permission and a visiting Street Artist assists the students in the development of their ideas.
Music
Music is a significant artform and very much a part of our society. It is both collaborative and individual and it allows for the expression of feelings and the development of technique.
Year 7 and 8 Music
These courses explore a range of topic areas, allowing students to develop their skills and knowledge in composition, listening and performance in a broad range of musical styles and contexts.
Students experience a variety of instruments such as guitar, ukulele, percussion and drums, keyboard and violin and always have the opportunity to play their instruments of choice in class.
Year 8 Music Elective
This is offered as a 1 year course, which can be media based or performance based according to the interests of the class.
Years 9 and 10
Students in Music elective courses choose topics from the NSW Music Syllabus, including Australian Music, Popular Music, Historical and Cultural Music.
Year 11 and 12
Students may study Music 1 or Music 2 (both 2 unit courses). In Year 12 the addition of Music Extension is offered which allows students to further their learning and exploration in a specialist area of choice - musicology, composition or performance.