Art
Course Leader: Mrs K Baptist
Exam board: AQA
Course Title: AQA Advanced Subsidiary 7241/ Advanced GCE in Art & Design 7201
The study of art and design helps the student engage more deeply with the world around them and opens them up to new ways of seeing. The visual-spatial skills which are encouraged are becoming increasingly essential in today’s technological world. Pupils work closely with a variety of media, materials and techniques, traditional and new technologies. These problem-solving exercises helps develop the higher order thinking skills such as critical, reflective and imaginative thinking, and increases an awareness of different roles, functions, audiences and consumers of art and design practice,
Students embarking on an AS course do not need prior knowledge of the subject, but we have found that having followed a GCSE course, students understand the depth of research required to produce a unit of work and the confidence to develop ideas and skills independently. Potential career opportunities include: Architecture/Landscape Architecture; Product/Graphic/Set/Fashion/Textile/Landscape/Car Design; Fine Art Practice; Museum Director/Curatorship; Fine Art Restoration; Art History; Engineering At AS/ A level we favour the unendorsed and Fine Art options which offer flexible and wide-ranging schemes.
The two units undertaken at AS level form 50% of the marks of the full A level and can be taken independently. If students wish to take the full A level then they must undertake two more units.
The emphasis in the AS year is on the students development of ideas through sustained investigation and their exploration of a range of ideas, skills and materials.
AS year
Component 1: Portfolio
- No time limit
- 96 marks
- 60% of AS
Component 2: Externally set assignment
- Preparatory period + 10 hours supervised time
- 96 marks
- 40% of AS
A Level
Component 1: Personal Study
- No time limit
- 96 marks
- 60% of A-level
Component 2: Externally set assignment
- Preparatory period + 15 hours supervised time
- 96 marks
- 40% of A-level
AS/A2 students can work creatively during lessons or private study time in the designated Sixth Form room. At least one of the other teaching rooms is also available for use during lessons. Most of the necessary materials and equipment are provided by the department.
Students have the opportunity to work in a range of disciplines including Fine Art, Photography, Textiles, Print, 3d Design and Graphics. They are encouraged to pursue their own areas of interest which, in the past has allowed for plenty of scope, including welding, cutting and moulding metals and carving and building in wood, breeze-block and plastics.
