Art & Design

At Mallaig High School, our Art & Design/Photography department inspires pupils to explore creativity, develop practical skills, and understand visual culture. Through a wide range of artistic experiences, pupils gain confidence, express themselves visually, and build critical thinking skills. Learning in Art & Design encourages curiosity, independence, and problem-solving, while nurturing imagination and personal expression. The department is very keen for pupils to develop fine motor skills further as well as engage with up-to-date software relevant to today’s job market.

Broad General Education (S1–S3)

During Broad General Education, pupils experience Art & Design as part of the Expressive Arts curriculum. They:

• Explore a variety of media, techniques, and technologies in two‑ and three‑dimensional contexts.
  
  

• Develop essential skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, and digital media.
  
  

• Generate, present, and communicate ideas with creativity and confidence.
  
  

• Investigate the work of artists, designers, and craft makers from Scotland and beyond to understand styles, themes, and cultural contexts.
  
  

• Reflect on their own work and evaluate that of others using appropriate artistic vocabulary.
  
  

Learning is structured around Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes, emphasising enjoyment, creativity, and problem-solving, while preparing pupils for progression into the Senior Phase.

Senior Phase (S4–S6)

In the Senior Phase, pupils continue their creative journey by studying national qualifications in Art & Design, designed and assessed by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). These courses support progression from Broad General Education and provide nationally recognised certification, helping pupils develop practical skills, creativity, and confidence in visual communication.

National 1, 2 & 3 Art & Design

For some learners, National 1, 2 and 3 Art & Design courses provide a supportive introduction to creative practice. These courses focus on developing basic skills in expressive and design activities, using a variety of materials and techniques. Pupils learn to communicate ideas visually and respond to the work of artists and designers. Assessment is carried out within the school and certificated at SCQF Levels 1–3, providing recognition of achievement and building confidence for progression to National 4.

National 4 Art & Design

National 4 allows pupils to explore both expressive and design work in more depth. The course includes an Added Value Unit, where pupils plan, create and evaluate their own work, demonstrating creativity and skill development. Assessment is internal and quality assured, leading to SCQF Level 4 certification.

National 5 Art & Design

At National 5, pupils produce refined portfolios in expressive and design contexts, showing investigation, development and final outcomes. Assessment includes externally marked portfolio submissions and a question paper that tests understanding of artists, designers, and art & design concepts. Certification is at SCQF Level 5.

Higher Art & Design / Photography

At Higher level, pupils can choose to study Higher Art & Design and/or Higher Photography, both certificated at SCQF Level 6 and designed around SQA course specifications that challenge learners to develop technical skills, creativity, and critical understanding.

Higher Art & Design develops technical expertise, creative independence, research skills, and informed visual decision‑making. Pupils produce substantial portfolios that demonstrate sustained investigation, personal expression, and problem‑solving skills. Assessment combines portfolio work with a question paper exploring contextual and critical understanding. This qualification provides a strong foundation for further study and creative careers.

Higher Photography encourages pupils to visually represent their personal ideas through the medium of photography. Learners plan, develop, and produce creative and technically proficient photographic work, building skills in camera techniques, image composition, and thematic project development. Assessment includes a coursework portfolio project that reflects individual responses to a chosen theme, as well as a written component or question paper to assess understanding of photography practice and visual communication. Higher Photography supports progression to advanced study in photography, media, and other creative fields.

Both courses follow SQA specifications that ensure clear expectations for learners, support strong progression routes into further education and creative industries, and help pupils build portfolios that showcase individual creativity and skill.

Advanced Higher Art & Design

Advanced Higher offers pupils the opportunity to undertake an extended, self-directed creative project. Learners produce a professional-quality portfolio and written research demonstrating originality, personal voice and reflective decision-making. Assessment includes an externally evaluated portfolio and critical research component. This qualification is certificated at SCQF Level 7 and prepares pupils for entry to art school, university, or professional creative careers.

All Senior Phase courses follow SQA specifications, ensuring clear progression, high standards, and the development of skills that support both learning and future career pathways.

Meta-Skills Developed Through Art & Design

Studying Art & Design helps pupils develop meta-skills—advanced, transferable abilities that support learning, life, and future careers. These include:

• Creative problem-solving – generating, testing, and refining original ideas.
  
  

• Critical thinking and analysis – evaluating work, reflecting on processes, and making informed decisions.
  
  

• Resilience and perseverance – learning from mistakes and persisting through challenging projects.
  
  

• Adaptability and flexibility – exploring multiple approaches and responding to new challenges.
  
  

• Collaboration and communication – working effectively with others and articulating ideas visually and verbally.
  
  

• Metacognition and self-reflection – understanding one’s own creative process and learning from experience.
  
  

• Intercultural and contextual awareness – appreciating diverse artistic perspectives, styles, and cultural influences.
  
  

These meta-skills are highly valued across all areas of life and work, enhancing pupils’ confidence, autonomy, and ability to succeed in further education, creative industries, and beyond.

Employability and Career Pathways

Art & Design provides a foundation for a wide range of creative careers, as well as roles where visual thinking, problem-solving, and design skills are highly valued.

Examples of jobs pupils might pursue include:

Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Photographer, Animator, Film/Video Editor, Set Designer, Lighting technician, Cinematographer, Costume Designer, Fashion Designer, Fashion Technologist, Textile Designer, Interior Designer, Product Designer, Furniture Designer, Curator, Art Director, Teacher, Ceramicist, Jewellery Designer, Sculptor, UX/UI Designer, Visual Merchandiser, Digital Content Creator,  Artist.

Art & Design equips learners with skills that are directly relevant to the creative industries—including TV, film, digital media, and interactive content—but are also valued across many sectors, giving pupils a flexible foundation for a wide range of careers.

Drawing, Painting & Printing

Design, Digital Work & Photography

Pupils at Work