Exam Board: AQA
In Year 12 you will cover a range of specialist skills through workshops and individual enquiry. These include a range of drawing, painting, textiles, photography and digital techniques from which you can develop and specialise. You will explore techniques through your own choice of theme; these include topics such as ‘Aging and Growth’ and ‘Surfaces of Nature’. You will be required to analyse your own and others’ artwork in depth and create your own final outcome(s) at the end of the design process. Assessment will be on-going throughout the year to allow you to identify your strengths and areas for development. There are opportunities to use the Art Studio space in your own time and after school; where you can gain individual support outside of lessons at given times.
In Year 13 the Component 1 ‘Personal Investigation’ requires you to respond to an individual focus within Art and Design. You will prepare for this at the end of Year 12 by negotiating your question. There is a written element to this component, which you will complete in three parts throughout the course of the year. The written element must be between 1,000 and 3,000 words and is started at the end of Year 12. You will visit galleries or other relevant places to gain personal experience of artwork which links to your question. You will create a final outcome(s) after extensive preparation. Component 2 is an ‘Externally Set Assignment’ so requires you to interpret a topic set by the exam board. You will need to generate research and artwork in the same manner as Component 1 but will complete the final outcome(s) under timed (15 hours), supervised conditions.
60% coursework / 40% examination
General college entry requirements plus a grade 5 or above in GCSE Art and Design.
Many students go on to explore the many specialisms via an Art Foundation Course and then go onto a specialist art course at university. A-Level Art provides a strong foundation for a number of vocations; directly working as a specialist, curating artwork or teaching/lecturing.