On 27th January KS4 pupils visited the Tate Galleries in London. Pupils were taken via public transport to the Tate Britain, London. After this, the group took a boat down the Thames river to the Tate Modern.
Pupils were to find art in both galleries which interested them, which could inspire their own artwork upon return to school. They were encouraged to observe the details of how they were painted or what the process could have been to make the art. They were to learn about the context of the works by reading and discussing the information on the relevant plaques. Using public transport around London, including the boat, was to give the pupils opportunities to take photographs and explore the aesthetics of London itself.
The nature of visiting more than one gallery and taking the boat in between, was to give variety and to give each pupil an opportunity to gather material appropriate to their interests. In the Tate Modern, pupils were given the opportunity to sit and sketch the view from a high up window, which allowed them to rest their feet as well as being able to appreciate their surroundings through drawing.
Although pupils were told to stay in the same room as the group, within that room they were encouraged to look around and explore what interests them.
We talked through various artworks with them, helped them to see key pieces of information and started discussions around particular pieces of work. Through this approach, individual pupils were given time and were encouraged to make their own choices.
