GCSE Art and Design

Course Objectives

The Key Stage Four Curriculum is designed to increase creativity and develop imagination; while the artwork allows students to express thoughts, feelings, ideas and insights. Students gain confidence and appreciate art production as an integral part of human existence.

The emphasis is on creative and skills based engagement with a variety of media within drawing, illustration, painting, printmaking, mixed-media, textiles, photography and sculpting. Contemporary Art as well as more traditional contextual connections support enquiry both within school and through external education links that are now being developed.

Competitions and trips complement the syllabus, providing students with an indication of the vast possibilities for Art and Design in further education and employment. Students are offered a broad experience of art education, specialising in drawing, photography, textiles, painting, as well as print-making and a wide variety of 3D work.

The aim of the course is to provide a thorough art education in a variety of techniques. GCSE Art and Design is suited for students who enjoy art and want to develop their skills further. Students will have the opportunity to be creative, realise exciting ideas and express themselves through a range of art media.

The ability to think creatively and problem-solve is highly valued in today's employment market and art skills are effective and interchangeable. The course enables students to respond to what they hear, see and experience through art. It allows students time to communicate their own ideas, emotions and feelings creatively.

The course is designed to develop students' imagination and explore their own ideas while looking at the work of others. The course promotes students' personal development and gives them an understanding of themselves and others from various backgrounds and beliefs.

Contemporary Art as well as historical and traditional contextual connections support enquiry both within school and through external education links that are now being developed. Competitions and trips complement the syllabus, providing students with an indication of the vast possibilities for Art and Design in further education and employment.

Unit Information

GCSE Art and Design is a 2 year course and consists of a coursework portfolio and an externally set assignment - weighted as 60% and 40% of the overall grade.

The coursework must include a minimum of one extended project with supporting pieces of work. Extended projects can encompass a wide variety of disciplines- drawing, painting, printing, photography, textiles and modelling, but the projects should demonstrate student's skills, ideas, contextual understanding and research abilities.

Student's skills in these areas are assessed using the four assessment objectives outlined below. These are weighted equally during final assessments.

The AQA Externally Set Assignment (exam) lasts 10 hours and can encompass all disciplines and approaches. Students answer one of seven given exam questions and submit preparatory studies too.

At KS4 students need to focus on the following four Assessment Objectives for both their portfolio and externally set assignment. All of which are marked out of 24 totalling to a mark out of 96 for both components.

Why Study

Assessment Objective 1: Developing ideas

Assessment Objective 1 is about developing ideas from a starting point to a final piece. This is done through thinking maps, sketches and studies related to the work of other artists, designers and craftspeople. Students analyse and understand these contextual sources, and develop ideas in a personal way.

Assessment Objective 2: Using resources, media and materials

Assessment Objective 2 is about refining ideas through selecting and experimenting with appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes. There are various ways of using these to develop ideas and create a personal response.

Assessment Objective 3: Recording ideas and observations

Assessment Objective 3 is about recording ideas, observations and insights, which can be in visual, written and other forms. Students work from a range of experiences and stimulus materials including primary sources, as each of these could lead to different ways of developing ideas. Students reflect upon their work, and consider what they have achieved at each stage and what they will do next.

Assessment Objective 4: Making a personal, informed, and meaningful response

Assessment Objective 4 is about presenting a personal, informed and meaningful response, from initial research through to the final piece. Students will demonstrate analytical and critical understanding as they respond to the theme of the project.

Projects

The exam board students work within the framework of is AQA. Students are required to show evidence against four assessment objectives during the documentation of their portfolio & externally set unit. The course is split into two sections: Coursework Portfolio (60%) and the Externally Set Unit (40%). The assessment objective framework is in place to ensure progression from the Key Stage 3 curriculum. The framework also gives students the opportunity to produce work to higher standards towards A-Level/College levels.

Students within Year 10 begin their coursework unit of their GCSE. In term one they will learn a series of practical techniques of 2D and 3D techniques which will connect to historic and contemporary artists. After Christmas students will focus on the theme of identity to develop their coursework.

Year 10 focuses on encouraging students to be more critical and understanding of how to evaluate the work of others whilst building upon their previous learning. Students are encouraged to develop their ideas through various investigations when responding to artists or sources.

Students are to apply an understanding of how relevant practices in the creative/cultural industries impact the world of art today through exploring different practices. Within the documentation of their work students will refine their ideas as their work progresses through experimenting with media, materials, techniques and processes.

Students must record their ideas, observations, insights and their judgements, visually and through their written annotations of their work. Students will use subject specific language within their annotations to show their understanding of their own work and the work of others. Students will also use a wide range of different drawing skills for different needs and purposes appropriate to the context of their work.

Students need to realise their personal intentions throughout the project both visually and through annotation. Year 10 students have the opportunity to visit local galleries and work with visiting artists. Students also have the opportunity to learn two different types of printing techniques from well-respected arts company Northern Print, who come into school to develop students' printing expertise.

Working with outside school providers enriches the curriculum and allows students to understand art processes they would not learn in class. Students also learn about different creative careers that are connected to these processes within the local community and region. During Year 11 students continue to work on their coursework but in the format of a mock externally set assignment.

Students complete a mock exam on the theme of 'Telling Stories' which is a previous AQA Exam Question. We have selected this question as a theme for students to develop their coursework portfolio as it allows students to create outcomes with meaning that is personalised to them. Students are given 10 weeks to produce a sketchbook which explores a variety of sources.

Students are then required to show how these sources have aided them to develop their ideas into outcomes with personal connections. Students are expected to critically analyse all of their work with justifications and reasons. Students will refine their ideas and develop their favourite idea into a final outcome based on the theme.

Students have 10 hours to create this final outcome.

Year 11 Jan-April

During these months students work on an externally set assignment that is set by the exam board. In January students receive an exam paper from the exam board with seven given themes that they can select from as a starting point. Students are given suggested starting points from the exam board that are given as areas of advice on what they can explore with these themes.

Students work in the same format as their mock exam. Students get 10 weeks to document their research, techniques, ideas and outcomes before creating a final piece on the theme they choose. Students get 10 hours to create their final outcome.

Examples Of Work

Careers Options

Fine Artist, Animator, Costume Design, Cake Design, Textile Design, Package Designer, Storyboard Artist, Merchandise Design, Architect, Fashion Designer, Fashion Photographer, Fashion Buyer, Graphic Designer, Hair Design, Hair Accessory Design, Make-up Artist, Uniform Design, Interior Designer, Set Design, Sportswear Design, Stylist, Shoe Design, Accessory Design, Transport Design, Landscape Architect, Advertising & Graphics, Animator, Art Teacher, Web Designer, Font Designer, Special Effects Artist, Tattoo Artist, Sign Writer, Jeweller, Make-up Artist, Architect, Furniture Designer, Product Designer, Photographer, Games Design.

Key contact

Miss L Gaffney