News Year 11 Explore Art and Identity at the V&A 06.11.2025

On Wednesday, the entire Year 11 Art and Design cohort spent an inspiring day at the V&A Museum in London. The visit offered students a valuable opportunity to enhance their GCSE Art and Design coursework by engaging directly with objects representing over 5,000 years of human creativity and innovation.

Working within the theme “Object as Metaphor,” each student explored how everyday items can carry deeper symbolic meaning. The museum’s diverse collections sparked new ideas and encouraged fresh perspectives, leading to a range of exciting visual studies and creative responses. A highlight of the trip was the Design and Disability exhibition, which celebrates the contributions of Disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent artists and designers from the 1940s to the present day. The exhibition prompted students to reflect on how identity is shaped by communication, environment, and sensory experience — and to consider how design can make the world more inclusive for everyone.

The visit not only deepened students’ understanding of art and design but also encouraged them to think critically about representation, accessibility, and the power of creative expression.