Art & Design: A Space to Create, Imagine and Inspire

At Twyford, Art & Design thrives in bright, spacious, purpose-built studios where creativity has no boundaries. Our approach goes beyond teaching technique - we empower pupils to explore their interests, express themselves freely, and develop their artistic voice across a wide range of media and styles.

Exploring Creativity Across Media

From drawing, painting and ceramics to sculpture, modelling, and even screen printing, our pupils are introduced to a broad spectrum of artistic techniques.Whether it’s working with clay or learning about perspective and proportion, every project helps children build technical skills while unlocking new ways to see and interpret the world around them.

Art Beyond the Classroom

Art and Design at Twyford extends well beyond the School walls. Pupils take part in enriching trips and workshops - visiting installations, exhibitions, and nature-rich environments that inspire fresh perspectives and spark new ideas.

Previous highlights have included:

• Visits to Roche Court, to sketch and photograph sculpture in situ.
• Explorations of detail and scale at the Small Worlds Exhibition in Winchester.
• Collaborative Sherborne Art Workshops focused on creative experimentation.
• Ceramic projects inspired by the work of Yayoi Kusama, where pupils created expressive pots and learned the traditional Japanese art of Kintsugi, repairing cracks with golden joins - a powerful metaphor for finding beauty in imperfection.
   

Artist-in-Residence Programme

Pupils also have the unique opportunity to work with professional artists-in-residence. One such project, “The Life of Twyford Through Text,” invited pupils to explore the School’s identity and environment using a vintage typewriter as a creative tool. Guided by artist Keira Rathbone, they reflected on her distinctive techniques and used text to create expressive visual artwork. The project culminated in a collaborative mural displayed in the School - an inspiring celebration of storytelling through image and word.

Clubs, Scholars & Special Projects

Creativity continues long after the School day ends. Our vibrant after-school art clubs welcome pupils from all year groups and explore a wide range of techniques and materials.

A particularly popular offering is our Graffiti Art Club - an energetic space where pupils study the history and culture of street art. They examine the work of influential graffiti artists, learn key techniques and terminology, and develop their skills on our very own graffiti wall. This club also sparks thoughtful conversations around the power of visual art to express identity, protest and community stories - challenging pupils to consider: What makes graffiti art, rather than vandalism?

Potential art scholars from Year 6 upwards are also invited to attend tailored sessions where they can further hone their personal style and deepen their engagement with creative practice in a more bespoke setting.

Celebrating Artistic Achievement

The School’s annual summer Year 7 & 8 Art & DTE Exhibition provides a platform for pupils to showcase their talents across a variety of media. From expressive self-portraits to three-dimensional ceramics, the exhibition reflects both the technical growth and creative exploration of our young artists, who are encouraged to take risks and push boundaries in their work.

At Twyford, we believe that every child is an artist in the making. Through expert guidance, exciting projects, and a culture that embraces experimentation and individuality, we aim to nurture not just skills - but a lifelong love of art.

Design, Technology & Engineering at Twyford

Our Design, Technology and Engineering (DTE) Department sits at the heart of the Creative Centre, alongside Art and Ceramics, and provides pupils with hands-on opportunities to design, make and evaluate their own solutions to real-world problems.

From the very first project, pupils are encouraged to experiment, refine their ideas and grow in confidence. As they progress, each challenge becomes more complex  - introducing new skills such as traditional hand craftsmanship, electronics, engineering principles and Computer Aided Design (CAD).

The enthusiasm for DTE at Twyford is unmistakable. Whether working independently or as part of a team, pupils embrace the chance to innovate and create. For those showing strong aptitude and a desire to explore the subject further, additional time is set aside in Year 8 for DT Scholarship sessions.

Beyond the classroom, our thriving clubs give pupils the freedom to delve deeper into exciting areas such as Robotics, Engineering, CAD/CAM, or to develop unique projects of their own choosing. The result is a culture of creativity, problem-solving and innovation that inspires every child to push their ideas further.