This practical course will give students the freedom to work in ways that inspire and bring out the best in their artistic talents, whilst equipping them with the skills to continue the subject with confidence at AS, A-level and beyond. If students enjoy: developing their visual skills, being creative, enthusiastic and imaginative, visiting galleries and museums, taking part in workshops, experimenting and taking risks with their work; then this GCSE Art course is the ideal subject for them to study.

What will I study?

This course has been designed to allow students to develop knowledge and understanding during the course through a variety of learning experiences and approaches, including engagement with sources. This will allow them to develop the skills to explore, create and communicate their own ideas.

Students will demonstrate these skills through the development, refinement, recording, realisation and presentation of their ideas through a portfolio and by responding to an externally set assignment.

The qualification is built around two practical areas of work:

Component 1: Portfolio worth 60% which is created throughout the whole of the course.

Component 2: Externally Set Assignment worth 40% which is sat towards the end of year 11.

In Component 1 and Component 2 students are required to work in one or more area(s) of fine art, such as those listed below:

• drawing

• painting

• sculpture

• photography and the moving image

• printmaking

• mixed media

They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas.

How will I be assessed?

Students must develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills specified in the Subject content within the context of fine art practice and their selected area(s) of study.

Component 1:

Worth 60 % of the mark is internally set and marked.

Component  2:

Worth 40% of the total mark is an externally set theme and is internally marked. Assessed through a ten hour controlled assessment.

Each component is assessed separately out of 96 marks. Students will be assessed using 4 assessment objectives of develop, review/experiment, record and present.

Within the context of fine art, students must demonstrate the ability to:

• use fine art techniques and processes, appropriate to students’ personal intentions, for example:

  • mark-making

  • monoprint, collagraph and block printing

  • assemblage

  • construction

  • carving

• use media and materials, as appropriate to students’ personal intentions, for example:

  • charcoal, pastels, pen and ink, crayons and pencil

  • watercolour, gouache, acrylic and oil paint

  • found materials

  • clay

  • digital imagery

  • different papers and surfaces on which to work.

What further career options and pathways are available to you after this course?

On completion of a GCSE course in Art, you could progress to further education in Design Technology, Art, Fashion and Product Design.

Courses at Level 3 include: BTEC Nationals in Art and Design, the Diploma in Creative and Media, GCSE AS Art and Design

Below are a few examples of the many jobs and careers available within the creative sector which need young people with relevant skills:

Gallery Assistant

Performs administrative tasks that keep the gallery functioning smoothly such as answering phone calls, responding to correspondence, preparing purchasing orders, monitoring gallery visitors and providing customer service. Gallery assistants are also usually responsible for planning and coordinating the gallery’s events and assisting with setting up and breaking down art exhibits.

Graphic Designer

Meet with clients or the creative team to determine the scope of a project and use specialised computer software programs to create visual concepts to communicate ideas that captivate, inspire and inform their audience. Graphic designers create the layout and production of artwork used for websites, applications, brochures, reports, advertisements, books and magazines.

Photographer

Combines technical camera skills with artistic eye for capturing pictures of people, places or things. Photographers can work as a wedding and events photographer, independent lifestyle or commercial photographer or as a photographer for a photography studio. Many photographers focus their talents on a specific type of photography such as maternity, family, wedding, landscapes and food. Photographers may also be responsible for editing the pictures they capture and selling their photos to clients.

Art Teacher

Help students discover and develop their artistic skills by encouraging them to express themselves creatively through drawing, painting, sculptures, ceramics and more. Art teachers also teach children the foundational knowledge of art concepts such as shapes, colours, textures and various art techniques.

Illustrator

Creates the two-dimensional images and artwork used throughout several different industries such as books, magazines, websites, manuals, brochures and fashion designs.

Tattoo Artist

Creates the designs of tattoos based on what their client wants and then applies the tattoo to the client’s body using ink and a tattoo needle. Some tattoo artists also perform other types of body modification such as piercings.