The arts at Somerville House inspire students to reach for their creative potential in a supportive environment where they can greatly develop and nurture their artistic skills.

Art (Years 7 to 10)

Year 7
In Year 7, all students study Visual Art.

Over the semester of study, students complete Making and Responding tasks as they build on their awareness of how and why artists realise their ideas through different visual representations, practices, processes and viewpoints.  They extend their thinking, understanding and use of perceptual and conceptual skills.  Students use and apply appropriate visual language and visual conventions with increasing complexity and consider the qualities and sustainable properties of materials, techniques, technologies and processes and combine these to create and produce solutions to their artworks.

In Year 7 Art, students identify and analyse how other artists use visual conventions and viewpoints to communicate ideas and apply this knowledge in their art making. They explain how an artwork is displayed to enhance its meaning. They evaluate how they and others are influenced by artworks from different cultures, times and places.

Students plan their art making in response to exploration of techniques and processes used in their own and others’ artworks. They demonstrate the use of visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate meaning in their artworks.

Year 8
Year 8 Visual Art is an elective subject.

In Year 8 Art, students apply the inquiry process to research, develop, reflect and resolve as they make and respond to artworks. Making and responding are interconnected.  When students make artworks, they are informed by their knowledge and experiences as an audience of art forms. When students respond, they are informed by their knowledge and experiences as both artist and audience.

Units of study include: Familiar Worlds and Imagined Worlds. Taking either the familiar or the imagined as stimulus, in each unit of study students explore an Inquiry Question through integrated making and responding leaning experiences. They identify and analyse how other artists use visual conventions and viewpoints to communicate ideas and apply this knowledge in their art making. Art making is planned in response to the exploration of techniques and processes used in their own and others’ artworks, and visual conventions, techniques and processes are applied to communicate meaning in their artworks. Students consider how an artwork is displayed to enhance its meaning, and evaluate how they and others are influenced by artworks from different cultures, times and places. 

Year 9
In Year 9, students are able to choose to continue their studies in Visual Art. 

In Year 9 Visual Art, students learn through direct engagement with two-dimensional, three-dimensional and four-dimensional practices and concepts, theories, histories and critiques. They develop skills, knowledge, understandings and techniques as artists, designers, critics and audiences. Students learn to explore ideas through creating and presenting artworks, and engaging critically with these works and processes.

Students apply the inquiry process to research, develop, resolve and reflect as they explore concepts, make and respond to artworks. 

Making and Responding are interconnected. When students make artworks, they are informed by their knowledge and experiences as an audience of art forms. When students respond, they are informed by their knowledge and experiences as both artist and audience.

Unit of study include:  My Place and My Voice.  In My Place, students explore the Inquiry Question: How do artists communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning about place and space? Observing the immediate environment as stimulus, students will solve visual problems and explore concepts about place and space. In My Voice,  students investigate the Inquiry Question: How do artists communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning about self and their view of the world? Students use representations of themselves as well as their personal thoughts, beliefs and experiences as stimulus to solve visual problems and explore concepts about identity, expression and personal viewpoints. Across each unit of study, students explore, respond, develop, create and display as they build their skills and understanding of visual conventions, visual art processes and visual art practice.

Year 10
In Year 10 Visual Art students build on the broad base of skills and experiences acquired in Years 8 and 9. Students work as both artist and audience, making and responding as learning and assessment in Visual Art.

Year 10 Visual Art is preparatory for Senior Visual Art as students complete Projects and Extended Written Responses in response to given concepts focuses and contexts. Students become more independent in their thinking and approaches.

Developing their understanding and application of the inquiry processes, students research, develop, resolve and reflect to make and respond to artworks. Making and responding are interconnected. When students make artworks, they are informed by their knowledge and experiences as an audience of art forms. When students respond, they are informed by their knowledge and experiences as both artist and audience.

Units of study include The Figure in the Australian Landscape and The Figure in the Built Environment. As they develop their own personal responses to given stimulus, students explore, experiment and manipulate materials, techniques and processes to develop and refine techniques and processes, and to represent ideas and subject matter in their artworks. They evaluate artworks and displays from different cultures, times and places, and how representations communicate artistic intentions in artworks they make and view. Students analyse connections between visual conventions, practices, processes and viewpoints that represent their own and others’ ideas. They identify influences of other artists on their own artworks and justify intended outcomes and meaning with understanding of the strengths, implications and limitations of approaches.

Visual Art (Years 11 and 12)

Senior Visual Art is an intellectually engaging intersection of lateral thought and practice. Provoking alternative ways of  seeing,  thinking  and  doing,  Visual  Art  enables  us  to  know  and  observe  our  world  collectively  and  as individuals.

Visual Art uses an inquiry learning model.  Students develop critical and creative thinking skills and individual responses  through  developing,  researching,  reflecting  and  resolving.  Students  learn  to  pose  and solve  problems,  work  independently  and  in  collaboration,  and  create  and  convey  meaning  from  various viewpoints. New skills are learnt and knowledge is created.

Students construct knowledge and communicate personal interpretations by working as both artist and audience. In making artworks, students use their imagination and creativity to innovatively solve problems and experiment with visual language and expression. Students develop knowledge and skills when they create individualised responses and meaning by applying diverse materials, techniques, technologies and art processes. In  responding  to  artworks,  students  employ  essential  literacy  skills  to  investigate  artistic  expression  and critically analyse artworks in diverse contexts. They consider meaning, purposes and theoretical approaches when ascribing aesthetic value and challenging ideas. Students interact with artists, artworks, institutions and communities to enrich their experiences and understandings of their own and others’ art practices.

Units of study in Senior Visual Art include: Art as Lens, Art as Code, Art as Knowledge, Art as Alternate.

Drama (Years 7 to 12)

Years 7 to 10
Drama is the expression and exploration of personal, cultural and social worlds through role and situation that engages, entertains and challenges. Students create meaning as drama makers, performers and audiences, as they enjoy and analyse their own and others’ stories and points of view. Like all art forms, drama has the capacity to engage, inspire and enrich all students, excite the imagination and encourage students to reach their creative and expressive potential.

Years 11 and 12
Students experience, reflect on, understand, communicate, collaborate and appreciate different perspectives of themselves, others and the world in which they live. They learn about the dramatic languages and how these contribute to the creation, interpretation and critique of dramatic action and meaning for a range of purposes. They study a range of forms, styles and their conventions in a variety of inherited traditions, current practice and emerging trends, including those from different cultures and contexts.

Students learn how to engage with dramatic works as both artists and audience through the use of critical literacies. The study of drama develops students’ knowledge, skills and understanding in the making of and responding to dramatic works to help them realise their creative and expressive potential as individuals. Students learn to pose and solve problems, and work independently and collaboratively.

Subject recommendation: While it is recommended that students have studied Drama in Years 9 and 10, those who take up Drama in Year 11 are not disadvantaged as assessments in Units 1 and 2 are formative. An excursion schedule is provided at the start of each year. Performances are selected carefully to compliment the course of study and, as such, attendance at all performances or workshops is compulsory.

Music (Years 7 to 12)

Year 7
Music in Year 7 is designed to develop the students' knowledge, understanding and skills through direct participation in the 'experience of music'.

The course is taught through two dimensions of Making (Composing and Performing) and Responding. Students experience an integrated approach using glockenspiel, ukulele and their voice. There is an emphasis on improving the understanding of Music as a language through reading, writing, listening, performing and creating.

Year 8 
Music in Year 8 is an elective subject and is designed to develop the students' knowledge, understanding and skills through direct participation in the 'experience of music'.

The course is taught through the two dimensions of Making (Composing and Performing) and Responding. Students learn through an integrated approach using their own voices, guitar, piano keyboards and other instruments.

Year 9
Music in Year 9 is an elective subject, where students can enjoy the challenge of furthering their musicianship skills. The development of these skills directly influences their capacity to understand and perform the music of other artists, and to create their own original music.

The course is also taught through the two dimensions of Making (Composing and Performing) and Responding. Students learn through an integrated approach using their own voices, piano keyboards and other instruments.

Years 10 to 12
Music is sound. Any experience of music is essentially and fundamentally aural. In the senior years of schooling, the study of Music recognises this by focusing learning experiences on the development of aural musicianship skills. This is the process by which the brain makes sense of what the ear hears. Students build on the foundation established in the compulsory years of schooling by applying their developing musicianship through an exploration of the musical elements. They explore a variety of contexts, genres and styles to achieve the interrelated dimensions of Composition, Musicology and Performance.

  • Composition involves the creation of music in a variety of genres and styles by combining musical elements and compositional devices. Students are encouraged to move towards developing their own creative style.
  • Musicology involves deconstructing music as a way of evaluating repertoire from a variety of social and cultural contexts. It also serves as a tool to enhance performing and a model to assist composing.
  • Performance involves interpreting musical repertoire by playing an instrument, singing or conducting. Performing may include solo or ensemble experiences.

Through this course of study, the students are provided with opportunities to interpret the ‘experience of music’ framework in a structured learning sequence. The learning sequence is designed to provide a variety of learning experiences which are selected to:

  • develop a thorough understanding of the elements of music (Duration; Expressive devices; Pitch; Melody, Harmony, Tonality, Structure; Texture and Timbre)
  • develop a deep understanding of the significant historical contributions to the body of Music
  • come from a range of genres, styles, cultural and historical contexts including Australian music
  • include both vocal and instrumental experiences

Attendance at selected professional live performances outside the school community, such as orchestral performances, operas and musicals is strongly encouraged as it is considered part of the total learning experience of a Music student. These are organised by the school at different points in the year.

During the Senior School course, the following broad units are studied:

Year 10

  • Semester 1: Vocal Music
  • Semester 2: Instrumental Music

Year 11

  • Unit 1: Designs in Music
  • Unit 2: Musical Identities
  • Unit 3: Innovations in Music

Year 12

  • Unit 3 Innovations in Music (continued)
  • Unit 4 Narratives in Music
Music Extension (Year 12)

Students can elect to undertake one of three Music Extension course options: Composition, Musicology or Performance.

Year 12 Music Extension is designed for students with specific abilities in Music. It is an extension of the senior syllabus in Music and is studied for the final two semesters, concurrently with Units 3 and 4 of the parent subject. The course is designed for students interested in exploring in greater depth one of the three areas of study in the Senior Music syllabus and offers more challenge than Senior Music. The challenge of the subject involves the expectation of accelerated independent learning, as well as meeting the challenge of increased cognitive, expressive and musical demands in the assessment task requirements.

Seeking out and maintaining a meaningful connection with an individual tutor or mentor from the chosen specialisation is highly recommended.

Composition is an extension of the Music General senior syllabus. It provides an opportunity for students with specific abilities in music to extend their expertise. Students select one specialisation only, and follow an individual program of study designed to continue the development of refined musicianship skills. Music Extension encourages students to investigate music concepts and ideas relevant to their specialisation.

In the Composition specialisation (making), students create and resolve new music works. They demonstrate use of music concepts and manipulate music concepts to express meaning and/or emotion to an audience through resolved compositions.

Musicology is an extension of the Music General senior syllabus. It provides an opportunity for students with specific abilities in music to extend their expertise. Students select one specialisation only, and follow an individual program of study designed to continue the development of refined musicianship skills. Music Extension encourages students to investigate music concepts and ideas relevant to their specialisation.

In the Musicology specialisation (responding), students investigate and analyse music works and ideas. They synthesise analytical information about music, and document sources and references about music to support research.

Performance is an extension of the Music General senior syllabus. It provides an opportunity for students with specific abilities in music to extend their expertise. Students select one specialisation only, and follow an individual program of study designed to continue the development of refined musicianship skills. Music Extension encourages students to investigate music concepts and ideas relevant to their specialisation.

In the Performance specialisation (making), students realise music works, demonstrating technical skills and understanding. They make decisions about music, interpret music elements and concepts, and express music ideas to realise their performances.