Great Art college for 14 year old in the UK

[GreenYellowTurtle]

Hi, we are looking to relocate back to the Uk after 12 years away, and I am looking for good schools for my children, who are ages 12 and 14. My son is a talented manga artist, so ideally I would like to find a school or college that can support that. Does anyone know of any good art colleges? Or more creative secondary schools? We can actually live anywhere (although our budget is tight). Thanks

The Brit school in South London is a state school that specialises in performing and visual arts.
It starts from Year 10 (age 14).

OP has started another thread on his already. I don't know of many schools, especially outside London, that offer an arts-based curriculum any earlier than post 16 tbh.

There are "creative" focused schools and acsdemies but it's not the sole focus iyswim? My daughter went to a STEM girls school but ended up on the creative side. She has been to UAL summer school post -16. Other than taking Art GCSEs & A levels at school (alongside other subjects) there's not much room to specialise until post -18 at university.

@GreenYellowTurtle having just seen your other thread then The Brit school might not be the best for him.
All secondary schools and Post 16 colleges will offer art as a subject. Usually more choice once he gets to 16 and can go to college.
I think you need to look at his other needs for a school rather than focusing on art.
Sorry 🙁

Maybe some out of school art classes?

Yes I agree with @Needmorelego - focus on getting him a place in a school where he can get a decent set of GCSEs.

You can do art and only art post-16 at college - a friend’s DD did exactly that and then went to uni to study fine art. But there are plenty of other options at that stage.

Okay thanks for this.

Oh thanks, that's good to know, that he can do only Art at 16, as that's all he wants to do x

There is a specialist arts academy in Birmingham. It is for 14-19 yr

Oh thank you thats great, I'll check that out x

Museums and galleries often run art enrichment programmes.

He can do art at school younger, he just has to do other subjects too.

I know your DS is only 14, but if you're new to how arts education works in the UK you might want to skim this thread? It's mostly about university but it gives you something to plan for, and there are some people on the thread who know a lot more than I do. (My DD is in the third year at an "art school," i.e. university)

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4795276-art-and-design-at-university-for-past-present-and-future-students-and-parents

Thanks, I checked it out and its very useful x

@GreenYellowTurtle
Hampstead Fine Art (although it is a better experience for 16+)
King Alfred School (Golders Green)
Fortismere in Muswell Hill
Chestnut Grove in Balham
Some of boarding schools are also very good for creative subjects offering, textiles, photography, fine art, DT, graphic design etc.

Have you checked out the gcse spec for Art? It is far from just free drawing for pleasure, with research and written assessments as well as controlled practicals.

BOA in Birmingham might work.

Is Manchester an option? They have schools and college which offer Btec art & design.

Thank you. I checked BOA and it is performing arts, so much more focused around film making and theatre / stage design and performing. He just wants to draw. I have contacted them though to find out if they do Anime film - which is the career he wants to go into

He needs to understand he must do ordinary subjects as well for at least a couple of years.

Suggest he starts by looking at entry requirements for animation degrees. While his art skills are the most important he’s still going to need some GCSE passes. EG https://www.uca.ac.uk/study/courses/ba-animation/

And for the art foundation degree https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/communication-and-graphic-design/pre-degree-courses/ual-foundation-diploma-in-art-and-design#application-process

I’m an art teacher; if he does art gcse or a level he must understand that he won’t be able to do anime all the time, especially if he wants to get a high grade. You can bring in elements here and there and perhaps focus on techniques such as animation. I have suggested that students with similar interests focus on the detailed watercolour backgrounds used in Studio Ghibli films for instance; this gives them an opportunity to show off their skills.
I have had a few students who only wanted to focus on Anime over the years and it caused issues, so he must start the course with his eyes open. Some realism is needed for the higher grades in Fine Art and Art, Craft and Design.
I don’t teach it, but it might be worth looking at Graphic Design (the art spec rather than the DT spec.)

The art foundation degree you mention is not a degree, it's a one year pre-degree course, usually for 18-19 year olds, an excellent stepping stone between art at school and studying art full time at university. It is offered at many colleges across the country, not only at UAL.

BOA offer a Visual Art & design pathway. https://www.boa-academy.co.uk/key-stage-4/choose-your-pathway/visual-art-and-design

Yes, sorry not to make that clear in my post, but it’s mentioned as one of the gateways into a full degree, and the GCSErequirements include maths whereas the animation degree I linked only insisted on English.