The study of Visual Arts offers students the opportunity to study and explore ways in which they understand, interpret and respond to the visual world.
Students investigate possibilities of making artworks using a range of artmaking techniques including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and digital media. This is supported by the study of Art theory, history and criticism.
Students are encouraged to seek personal and individual ways of creative expression and to develop sensitivity to and awareness of the world and to understand the visual arts, including the different kinds of creative works they, and others, make.
Visual Arts places great value on the development of students’ intellectual and practical autonomy, reflective action and critical judgement.
Visual Arts plays an important role in the social, cultural and spiritual lives of students. It offers a wide range of opportunities for students to develop their own interests, to be self-motivated and active learners who can take responsibility for and continue their own learning in school and post-school settings.
        

Visual Arts in Years 7 & 8 is mandatory
The 100 hours of indicative time provides significant core experiences in the Visual Arts.

The course is made up of three component parts:

•           Artmaking
•           Critical Study
•           Historical Study

Students are encouraged to participate, share, engage, investigate and experiment in all of the above components thus enabling the processing of their artworks and their writing about artworks to be better resolved and effective.
Students learn to understand that subject matter in artworks represents a wide range of areas of interest in the world and can be interpreted from different points of view and
that using materials and techniques influences the visual form of artworks and how ideas are represented.

Media areas explored include:

• Drawing
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Ceramics
• Photography
• Digital Media

All students are required to keep a Visual Arts Process Diary for the duration of each course.  Their diary is used for planning and reflective purposes and provides evidences of the range of learning activities undertaken.

Visual Arts in Years 9 & 10 is an Elective course.

This elective course is an extension of the Year 7 & 8 programme and offers students the opportunity to specialise, select and extend their knowledge and experience.
The course comprises of three component parts:
•           Artmaking
•           Critical Study
•           Historical Study

• Drawing
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Digital media

All students are required to keep a Visual Arts Process Diary for the duration of each course.  Their diary is used for planning and reflective purposes and to document and develop conceptual development and technical expertise.

The Visual Arts course at a senior level is divided into two components:

Preliminary course (Year 11),

Year 11 serves as the foundation for the senior course.  It encourages students in a broad range of experiences motivating them to investigate, develop, evaluate and utilise their own personal ideas, values and beliefs. This is reinforced by the critical and historical study of artworks.       
All students are required to keep a Visual Arts Process Diary for the duration of each course. Their diary is used for planning and reflective purposes and provides evidences of the range of learning activities undertaken.

2 Unit HSC course (Year 12)

Year 12 sustains the engagement in the practices and content of the Visual Arts.  Building upon concepts and skills gained in Year 11 students exploit, apply and construct   their knowledge around varied art related issues and concepts.       
In artmaking, a submitted Body of Work is to be made for the HSC in any of the expressive forms.
In art criticism and art history, students engage in an in depth analysis and appreciation of Visual imagery. This is supported by and underpins their own artistic practice.