Art & Design

Introduction to A level Art & Design video

Art

Edexcel

Content and Assessment overview

Introduction

A Level Art and Design (Edexcel) allows students to explore their creativity while developing critical, practical, and theoretical skills. The course encourages personal expression, experimentation, and refinement across a wide range of media, processes, and techniques. Students will investigate ideas, contextual references, and artists to inform their own practice.

Art and Design is a studio based course in which students work creatively in a friendly, dynamic atmosphere using a variety of media to pursue individual, creative solutions to a range of stimuli. Studying Art and Design requires and involves:

• The ability to perceive, understand and express concepts and feelings.

• The ability to record from direct observation and personal experience.

• The ability to communicate by using appropriate materials and techniques in a disciplined way.

• Experimentation, innovation and the use of intuition and imagination.

• Critical and analytical faculties; the ability to identify research and evaluate problems systematically.

• Confidence, initiative and a sense of adventure and achievement.

• The acquisition of a relevant working vocabulary.

• An awareness and appreciation of the interdependence of art and design within individual cultural and historical contexts.

This 2 year course is assessed through two main components: Component 1 (Personal Investigation) and Component 2 (Externally Set Assignment). Both are internally assessed and externally moderated, and together they make up the full A Level grade.

Component 1: Personal Investigation

• Weighting: 60% of A Level

• Overview:

  • A practical investigation supported by written material.

  • Students choose a personal theme and explore it in depth, developing a sustained body of work.

  • This component encourages independent research, practical experimentation, and refinement of ideas.

• Requirements:

  • Practical Work: A portfolio/sketchbook showing a journey of exploration, experimentation, and development of outcomes.

  • Personal Study (Written Element):

    • A critical, analytical piece of writing (minimum 1000 words) that relates to the practical work.

    • Must include references to artists, movements, or contextual sources.

    • Can be presented as an essay, illustrated text, or digital format.

• Assessment Objectives (AOs):

  • AO1: Develop ideas informed by artists, designers, and contextual sources.

  • AO2: Explore and refine media, materials, and techniques.

  • AO3: Record ideas, observations, and insights with skill and understanding.

  • AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response.

Component 2: Externally Set Assignment (ESA)

• Weighting: 40% of A Level

• Overview:

  • Paper released by Edexcel on 1st February (TBC) of the exam year.

  • Students select one starting point from the theme provided by Edexcel

  • They develop preparatory work over several weeks, leading to a final piece produced under exam conditions.

• Requirements:

  • Preparatory Work: Sketchbook and portfolio demonstrating research, development, and experimentation in response to the chosen theme.

  • Final Outcome: A resolved practical piece completed in 15 hours of supervised time (exam conditions).

• Assessment Objectives: Same as Component 1 (AO1–AO4).

All work is documented onto a digital portfolio that will then be shared with the exam board and moderator, a private exhibition is held at the end of Y13 to showcase their creativity and hardwork.

Natasha Kaskas 

Head of Art and Design