Art and Design in Integrated Studies

Abstract

A group of children and a group of teachers working and learning together; ideally, this is team-teaching and Integrated Studies. Over the past eight years this school, a five-form entry with twenty-three per cent of the age group 'creamed' to a local Grammar school, has been evolving an integrated course for the fourth and fifth year students.

The course was begun in 1967 with the raising of the school leaving age in mind. Two interested teachers who were special ists in Science and Art but who were also interested in the history and geography of the local environment, were approached by the Headmaster and ideas began to flow. Boys and girls were invited to take part on the one whole day allocated for the course. We planned visits, and studying local history and geography, we used this information as an academic catalyst to create wall-hangings, sculpture and experimental mosaics using stained glass, stones and fl ints. Visits to Fishbourne Roman Palace inspired a wall mural (12' x 8') made from clay mosa ics of different textures and sizes, showing the landing of the Normans, the Battle of Hastings and King William on the throne. This mosaic mural took a year to make and about forty boys and girls took part in the work, planning the picture on the wall in sections. Visiting a local Roman Catholic church to see their stained glass windows led to a visit to a stained glass studio and eventually a visit to the Whitefriars Glassworks, and then to buying a tea chest full of stained glass cullet and experimental work on another wall. Melting marbles and bottle glass on glazed tiles we experimented to get a variety of colour and texture.