Creative Subjects | Curriculum | Learning | Shrewsbury House Prep School | Shrewsbury House School Trust

Creative Subjects

Shrewsbury House provides a wealth of opportunities for boys to nurture and display their creative talents. Both Art and Design & Technology are integral parts of the curriculum, each taught as individual subjects to ensure a well-rounded creative education.

In Design & Technology, boys engage with innovation and creativity, discovering how design shapes the world we live and work in. In Art, they develop critical thinking skills and study the creative processes behind artists’ work across different genres.

Students and teacher in class

'[The] Design & Technology room is well equipped and exciting. Boys learn to operate age-appropriate machines which are also used for purposes outside lessons – Head’s commendations are engraved on reclaimed wood using the laser cutter rather than simply being printed on paper.'
Good Schools Guide

At the end of each academic year, we celebrate the boys' work at the Art and Design Exhibition held at the School. The event showcases all of the diverse creative work that the boys do and is a wonderful opportunity for friends and family to come together and see the high standard of work that is produced.

Art
The art curriculum at Shrewsbury House School has been designed to celebrate diversity, equality and inclusion while focusing on ‘small steps’ of progression to develop technical skills and vocabulary. 
 

To illustrate the skills being taught, we select a diverse range of artists, both male and female, from different art historical periods, and include artists from various ethnic backgrounds as well as those with disabilities. The boys also delve into important historical and cultural themes in art, such as the exploration of equality and inequality throughout history.

Each topic introduces specific technical vocabulary, reinforcing memory and recall. The boys thoroughly enjoy opportunities to watch teacher demonstrations of techniques and are encouraged to apply critical thinking to assess their work and suggest creative ways to adapt or incorporate mistakes.

Design and Technology
Design & Technology gives pupils the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge, capability and understanding of designing and making functional products. It is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the designed and made world in which we all live and work.
 

Pupils develop a solid understanding of materials, components, mechanisms, structures and health and safety while applying this knowledge to create innovative designs. They are encouraged to think creatively and tackle important issues such as sustainability and enterprise.

Design & Technology is a favourite subject for many pupils. They enjoy the freedom to make their own decisions and engage in practical, hands-on work. The sense of pride in creating something tangible is evident and throughout the course, they explore basic engineering and architectural skills, further igniting their passion for design.

Our Curriculum for Design & Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world;

  • build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users;

  • critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

We take this further, exploring opportunities to blend technology with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) as the subject becomes more embedded in the curriculum; we believe that making links between curriculum subjects, skills and processes will deepen the boys’ understanding by providing opportunities to reinforce and enhance their learning.