Markham College offers a complete and comprehensive programme of art education. Two major objectives guide the Art Department: to develop a pupil’s creative ability and provide them with technical training in most of the fine arts media.

All pupils take art lessons from Pre-Kinder to Secondary 1, developing their creativity and fine arts skills. After Secondary 1, pupils can opt to continue to study art, leading to the more demanding IGCSE and IB art programmes.

The Art Department is composed of several fully-equipped studios distributed amongst the Early Years, Lower School and Upper School campuses. Pupils are offered exceptional technical and studio resources as the department seeks to encourage the use of a variety of art materials. While the younger pupils are encouraged to experiment, the IB Diploma art pupils are expected to develop their critical judgment, allowing those who are planning to follow a career in the arts to be prepared for university and professional practice.

In Early Years, Pre-Kinder pupils have weekly art classes (whole class) and are accompanied by their teacher and teaching assistant. Kinder and Primary 1 pupils (half classes) attend weekly classes with the teaching assistant. Early Years teaching methods utilise art in a variety of activities related to their ‘Unit of Enquiry’ and in this way, art is not a separate course, it is linked to the whole curriculum. 

Art also plays an important role in the education of all pupils in the Lower School. Weekly Art classes inspire LS pupils to explore values, stimulate their imagination and creativity and further develop their perception, intellect and appreciation of aesthetics. 

In the Upper School, we are very proud of our pupils’ artistic skills which are displayed every year in an IB Art Exhibition and evidenced in the excellent results achieved in the IGCSE art examinations.

The Art department is proud of the enthusiasm displayed by all pupils. While it is not the tidiest department it is certainly one of the liveliest!