9th March 2012 Dear Parents/Carers Re: Year 9 Art Club Further to discussions at parents evening regarding year

9 Art Club, we have fleshed out the next eight week programme. We have decided to link with the Drama and Music department, and plan to aid with the set design for the school play Zorro to give pupils the experience of collaborative work within the arts. The project will involve researching landscapes, objects, costume and architecture for a variety of scenes. These will include a colourful gypsy camp, a mine shaft, and a church, amongst many others. In GCSE Art, 25% of the total grade comes from researching artists and cultures, and responding to this research. We will be working predominantly on large canvasses, using acrylic paint. This media has not yet been taught in KS3 Art, and therefore will offer an exciting head start in a media that many students will not have experienced before. As the project continues, we will bring in elements of 3D design too, coming up with economic and interesting ways to create subtle suggestions of the scenes taking place. Using a range of media, and using them with a degree of sophistication, accounts for another 25-50% of the final GCSE grade in year 11. Any work produced for this play will support the beginning of the GCSE course, which will officially start in June (four weeks before the summer holiday). Your child could well be starting the course with a huge head start, making an A/A* all the easier to obtain. Also, it will offer your child an insight into the workload expectations, as well as provide a fun and social Art experience. The first session will be on Tuesday 20th March at 3.10pm for one hour. Please could your child confirm with Ms Jacobs if they plan to attend ASAP by email: hjacobs@christs.richmond.sch.uk Yours sincerely

Richard McPaul Head of Art