Year 7 to 9 Art

Our Junior Art courses are designed to be a creative highlight within the students’ days. Students develop both technical skills and personal expression through hands-on learning.

Students attend three lessons per 10-day cycle, focusing on one unit each term. Each unit follows a creative process of investigation, experimentation, and refinement, culminating in a resolved final outcome, and presented as a portfolio of work.

Students explore a range of media and disciplines which can include illustration, painting, printmaking, sculpture, clay, carving, and mixed media. The junior programme introduces colour theory, technical drawing, the principles and elements of design, and key ideas from art history, building essential skills. Students are provided opportunities to develop observational drawing skills that strengthen fine motor control, concentration, real world awareness, and offer therapeutic benefits. 

Learning is enriched through connections to real-world artists, including contemporary and local Aotearoa practitioners. Students explore how artists communicate ideas, challenge conventions, and respond to cultural and historical contexts, developing an understanding of art history and visual language.

Art terminology is embedded from the outset, enabling students to analyse and discuss their work with confidence. Teaching is aligned with Cambridge Assessment Objectives, preparing students for IGCSE Art and Design while supporting steady progress. Each term begins with a drawing test to help track and develop formal drawing skills.

At Huanui, students can also extend their creativity through Thursday Activity sessions, with recent options including Abstract Painting, Painting Skills, Wearable Arts, and Crafts and Scrapbooking.