Teaching and Learning

• Art BTEC students were externally verified on Friday 23rd April by an examiner from Edexcel. The assessor commented on the high quality work students were producing and how organised the school was for delivering the vocational courses. We were described as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ and will be referred to schools who need help, advice and mentoring in the future.
• All staff from the Art staff department attended a bespoke training session led by Edexcel at school on the delivery of Level 3 BTECs which are being offered in September.
• A-Level Art and Textile students worked on either an eight hour or twelve hour practical exam just before half term on external themes of ‘Passions and Obsessions’ and ‘Rhythms & Cycles. Fantastic work was produced and all of this work will be exhibited in a private view display on Thursday 1st July.
• All Art staff came in over the half term to mark the last unit of Year 11 BTEC work. 100% of students have passed the course.

Staffing

• Rachel Jenkins, a PGCE student from Reading University completed her studies at Furze Platt in May and was graded ‘outstanding’ by Reading University.
• Stephen Atkins and Sarah Hemsley, the faculty technicians have be doing a fantastic job in supporting the Art and Technology departments all term.

Food Technology

• The Food Technology rooms are finally being refurbished and work has already started in room 3.
• Food Technology continues to be a popular choice for both boys and girls and as a result the new PE teacher, Fiona Richards, will also be taking some KS3 lessons, fitting in nicely with health and nutrition in PE.

Visits, Displays and Workshops

• On Saturday 15th May, Furze Platt exhibited selected art and textile work from Years 7-12 in a public exhibition called ‘Art on the Street’ in Maidenhead Town Centre. We were only one of three schools in Windsor and Maidenhead who exhibited and the day was really positive and we received great press from the Maidenhead Advertiser.
• Kirsty Brooks, an artist in residence has completed her project with Year 10 art students and the work was displayed at a prestigious event at the Royal Society of Arts on Thursday 24th June, where students and their parents travelled by coach from school to see the work.. Only twelve schools in the country were selected to participate in this event.
• Erin Bailey organised a brilliant Year 7 Arts Day in Art where students created masks on the theme of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’.