Curriculum

Photography

"Photography helps people to see.” Berenice Abbot 

Photography at Hendon School is an exciting subject that allows students to investigate a range of photographic genres based on their own personal interests. Students are encouraged to seek an expressive and interpretative artistic response to the visual world while exploring their own cultural identities. 

Students use lens-based media which they may manipulate using darkroom facilities and digital technology: we teach the use of SLR and Digital SLR cameras and run workshops on traditional darkroom processes, Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Microsoft Moviemaker. 

Students have three lessons per week.  

Exam Board

GCSE Photography-OCR 

https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/220463-specification-accredited-gcse-art-and-design-j170-J176.pdf 

  

Autumn 

Spring 

Summer 

Year 10 

Shallow depth of field 

Fruit Murder still life project 
Identity portraiture 

SLR camera/ darkroom printing 
Cinematography 

Photoshop techniques 
Exam preparation 

Year 11 

Stop motion project 
London Eyes location project Unit 1 (60%) 

from 1st January 
Exam theme project 

Unit 2 (40%) 

Exam preparation 

Outside the classroom 

We provide a regular exhibition space, in collaboration with the Hendon school library, to give students a forum in which to discuss and display their work-in-progress to a wider school audience.  

Our department has links with The Photographers’ Gallery who have provided exhibition and workshop opportunities for our students:  

Junior Davis, Y11, gave a talk in exhibition space of the Photographers’Gallery: https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/tours/outset-teen-tour-junior-davis 

Fatima Shirazi, Y10, wrote an exhibition review for the Photographers’Gallery: https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/content/young-person-recommendssurpassing  

Our department has been part of the Visual Literacy project ‘Seeing More Things’ for 3 years in a row, which is sponsored by the John Lyons Charity, and provided our GCSE classes with visiting contemporary artists. One of our visiting photographers was Helen Cammock who has since won the Turner Prize in 2019 and collaborated with a group of Y10 Photography students on a performance at the Cubitt Gallery, London:

 https://vimeo.com/246073724

We regularly visit museums and galleries to broaden students’ understanding of contemporary photographic practice. We take  our students on several trips around London to allow them to take photographs in different locations. 
 
The Photography department produces the bi-annual EGG magazine, a student-led cultural magazine that showcases the school’s creative talents from all the Creative Arts disciplines. 

Progression pathways and careers 

Students are able to complete a GCSE and A-levels in Photography (it is possible to do A-level without having done the GCSE if students meet the entry requirements). 

Students are able to progress on to Foundation Studies in Art & Design, BA (Hons) and higher degrees in Art & Design subjects. Students are also able to follow apprenticeship routes. 

Careers can include photojournalist, fashion, fine art and commercial photography. Other careers include advertising, art director, film director, cinematographer, film editor, film production, TV production, script writer, animation designer, game designer, magazine and newspaper editor 

Hendon School has an excellent reputation for students going on to high profile art, photography and film courses like London College of Communication, Central St Martin’s, Camberwell School of Art, Chelsea College of Art, Ravensbourne College of Art.  

 
Useful links 

www.tate.org.uk Tate Britain and Tate Modern 
www.art2day.co.uk research website  
www.vam.ac.uk Victoria and Albert Museum 
www.nationalgallery.org.uk The National Gallery 
www.photonet.org.uk The Photographers Gallery 
www.npg.org.uk The National Portrait Gallery 

Contact 

Ms Martina Schmid,  

Head of Photography,  Schmid@hendonschool.co.uk