2016 has seen the St Thomas Art Department continue its approach of multi level and discipline classes that operate under the philosophy of “Every student has the right to pass.” Thankfully they do.

Level One Art

2016 has seen an excellent pass rate for all the 33 years 10 and 11 students who chose to submit an externally assessed 12 credit portfolio, only two opted not to do so. This has been our largest number of NCEA level 1 portfolios to date and has seen a good increase in the median grade with 6 learners gaining Merit subject endorsement and 1 learner gaining Excellence subject endorsement. Over twenty of the level one Artist were Year 10 students who will go on to join the year eleven class but follow a level 2 programme of study in 2017.

What the boys did was wide in variety. Some chose to major in Digital Photography with a subsidiary pathway in Printmaking. Others opted for a fully analogue / traditional approach which involved woodblock and drypoint etching and Printmaking with Painting in some cases. This prepares them for Art dicipline specialisation in Year 11 at NCEA Level 2.

I am very proud of what our boys have achieved. They have worked to a consistently high standard and successfully pushed and expanded their boundaries. All of them can proudly proclaim “I am an Artist.”

A special mention must be given to Jes Pol Ramirez for his Excellence Subject Endorsement in Level one Painting, along with Ethan McLintock, Ben Wright, Josh Dent, Jack Dyer and Mitchell Ancit all of whom demostrated a terrific work ethic and created high quality work.

Vincent Raj