Photography (as with art, craft and design) can make significant contributions to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimensions of learning. Through studying the work of both contemporary and historical photographers and artists, from both western and worldwide cultures, our students will understand how this subject empowers humankind to create visual works which celebrate, communicate, make meaning and engage in the highest forms of expression.

Our GCSE and A Level course in Photography is designed to provide engaging, challenging, coherent and meaningful learning experiences. Our rewarding and immersive programme of study aims to actively engage students in the creative process whilst developing their creative, imaginative, and intuitive capabilities. The focus of this curriculum map is to nurture an enthusiasm for photography through exploration of practical and relevant critical and contextual sources such as the work of historical and contemporary photographers and the different purposes, intentions, and functions of photography as appropriate to their own work.

The curriculum has been carefully sequenced to introduce students to a variety of photography genres, different writing and editing forms to equip students with the skills for success at Key Stage 4 and beyond. Topics are intertwined with the work of other photographers to expose students to a range of types of photography within a theme/topic.

Our Key Stage 3 Art curriculum provides students with the foundations for learning at Key Stage 4, such as a knowledge of Composition, the importance of artist research/ inspiration and experimenting. This enables us to build on this knowledge during Key Stage 4 and to introduce more challenging ideas and concepts.  

Students also explore themes which run through our curriculum, such as environment and disguise/identity, to allow them to explore how writers present such themes and to deepen their understanding of the world around them and enhance their cultural capital.  

The course allows you to engage in lens-based art, which encourages you to be imaginative, thoughtful and technical whilst also balancing this with the ability to analyse, deconstruct and explore the work of photographers.  ​

Throughout the two years, there are opportunities to experience a range of photography styles from using a professional photography studio and lighting set-up to being experimental and creative with printed images. Digital photography and the use of software such as Photoshop are also embedded into the course and will equip you with strong technical manipulation skills. The course is adaptive, meaning you can be inspired by photographers and then incorporate your own style and learning to produce exciting individual photographic outcomes.  ​

Students begin their photography lessons with a knowledge recall activity to assess and reactivate prior knowledge. Teachers frequently model their thought process when writing extended answers and provide students with modelled, worked examples to deconstruct. Challenging vocabulary is taught explicitly using the Frayer Model and students are encouraged to apply this in both their spoken and written work. Students are encouraged to fully participate in class discussion through the use of cold-calling and structured talk between peers. Students will gain increasing understanding on the how to and whys behind photography through both substantive and disciplinary approaches.

Students are assessed formatively though fortnightly whole-class, teacher feedback in their books, targeted questioning and regular knowledge ‘quizzes’ to enable teachers to identify gaps in knowledge to reteach. Students are also assessed through summative assessments each half-term which check their understanding of a whole topic or skill, and their written communication.  

Summative assessments are marked using the 4 Assessment objectives. Throughout the course(s) students are taught the meaning of each assessment objective and what is required for meeting each one including how to develop an idea through research, recording, experimenting and refining, before producing finished outcomes.

  • AO1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.
  • AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
  • AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
  • AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.

Students at KS4 and 5 are assigned one homework task per week. However, they are expected to do independent study alongside this. Our department provides intervention for KS4 and 5 two days a week for one hour after school to support student development, this can support students who may not have access to a computer at home or who may need to improve/ catch up on work.  KS5 are also encouraged to organise with their teacher when they can come for extra intervention sessions during their study periods.

Professional Photographers take and process pictures of people, places, products and events.​

Types of Professional Photographer:

  • Animation
  • Illustration
  • Games Design
  • Creative and editorial photography
  • Photo journalist
  • Digital media
  • Film and television 
  • Film and visual culture
  • Graphics with photography
  • Visual communication
  • Teacher
  • Technician
  • Picture editor 
  • Researcher
  • Commercial photographer
  • Freelance
  • Photo editor
  • Wedding/Event photographer