ART & DESIGN - FINE ART GCSE

Exam Board: AQA

Course Overview / Introduction

The creative industry influences a large portion of our modern life. With the UK’s creative industries now worth £71.4 billion per year to the UK economy, Art GCSE provides you with an opportunity to develop personal responses to topics, allowing individual creativity to flourish. You will learn to become more aware of your surroundings, by looking at your environment through a creative perspective, where possibilities are endless.

What will you study?

Throughout GCSE Art, you will learn skills, processes and techniques both in two dimensional and three dimensional art. You will investigate how to critically analyse art works and how to translate thoughts and narrative into your practice. You will be taught how to structure projects and how to follow a working process which is vital in meeting all the assessment objectives. Central to the ethos of the department is the opportunity for you to develop your work in any chosen direction and in a personal manner, with help and guidance from your teacher.

How many exams are there?

Unit 1 (60%):

Students will develop a portfolio of coursework that initially consists of mini projects giving students the opportunity to explore a range of techniques and topics, taking influence from a wide range of artists. During the second and third terms of Year 10, students will complete a themed project based on Identity. This is a project where they are led through the initial stages before taking it in individual directions inspired by artist research, their own interests and exploring a range of media.

Students will be introduced to a lengthier project at the end of Year 10, where they will be given a range of starting points based on topics previously set by AQA for ESA (Externally set assignment) starting points. All work is submitted to AQA as part of the Portfolio coursework; this must include at least one sustained project.

Unit 2 (40%):

Students create a personalised project based on an externally set theme and have approximately 11 weeks for preparatory work and 10 hours in which to complete a final outcome in exam conditions. This project is more independent, however they will be confident in the creative process and all that is required, through a modelled and carefully guided Identity project and then their sustained Year 11 coursework project. 

What will you gain from this course?

Not only will you become a more confident artist, you will have the opportunity to develop transferable skills such as the ability to use IT software such as Google Slides (to create a digital portfolio), creative and practical problem solving, developing ideas through research, practical application, analysis and critique. All of these are highly transferable skills and applied in many walks of life.

What does this lead to?

You can continue your Fine Art studies at A-Level or choose other areas of study to specialise in within the art and design world. If you don’t want to take your art and design studies any further, the transferable skills you gain will still be valuable. You’ll develop problem solving, creative thinking, investigation, research, communication and teamwork skills, and gain the ability to develop, refine and present ideas. Employers and universities regard all of these highly.

Staff Contact:

Miss T Wilhelmy,
Head of Creative Arts