Art and design
Art and portfolio reflection
Evaluate how an artwork developed, identify a technique or decision that worked, and plan a specific next step.
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Head of Art and Design
Lydia Chen
I connect Art and Design analysis with making, using scaffolds that help students notice, describe and interpret their own choices and explain what they may change.
Explore the collectionA little about me
In Art and Design, practical confidence and written analysis do not always develop at the same pace. I lead the department across three studios and want students who can make strong work to have language for the choices behind it as well.
A scaffold for analysis should help a student notice, describe and interpret decisions in their own work. It should not supply a finished reading of the artwork. The writing needs to stay connected to the process of making, so reflection helps the student explain what they tried and what they may change.
I also moderate GCSE personal-investigation coursework before submission. That gives the criteria a practical role: they need to be clear enough for students to understand and consistent enough for staff to apply. The balance is to support an individual investigation while making expectations visible.
How I approach a lesson
Connect written analysis to decisions students have made in practical work.
Use prompts to help students interpret their own choices rather than supplying an answer.
Moderate personal-investigation work against clear, consistently applied criteria.
Templates I'd use with my class
Explore these templates and decide what fits your own setting.
Art and design
Art critique and gallery feedback
Give feedback on artwork that names a visible strength, asks about an artistic choice and suggests one kind, actionable next step.
Art and design
Artist study: The Great Wave
Describe visual features, explain selected artistic and printmaking choices, and use one compositional idea in an original response.
Art and design
Relief printing with lino
Plan and test a relief-print design using safe working practices, use mirror-image lettering, prepare an even ink layer and reflect on the result.