A LEVEL ART
ART A-LEVEL
Exam Board: AQA A-Level Art and Design - Fine Art course
What are the benefits of the course?
The Art department is strongly committed to creating an interesting, fun but challenging curriculum grounded in art history and with strong links to the wider world. We offer an innovative approach to producing work through courses that involve both traditional and experimental exploration of materials and concepts.
Each student is encouraged to fulfil their potential, building key skills such as creativity, communication, cultural awareness and problem solving; skills useful for a wide range of pathways.
What will I study?
The Sixth Form course continues to build on skills and techniques gained at GCSE, pushing students to refine their own practice, as well as considering context and the wider art community. Students are given much more control over their study and encouraged to pursue their individual strengths and interests.
We aim not only to gain success at A-Level, but to create confident, independent learners with a passion for art.
Year 12 students explore a range of shorter projects, and workshops where they are able to gain skills in a variety of media and experience a range of genres. Students will explore different techniques and ways of looking at artists' work to inspire their own creative investigations and responses. Students will then be guided through the process of evaluating strengths, areas for improvement and identifying where their areas of interest lie, in order to generate the best possible starting point for their sustained study in Year 13.
How will I be assessed?
The A-Level grade is 60% coursework and 40% externally set exam. The A-Level course consists of one personal investigation chosen by the student, a written assignment of between 1000-3000 words and an externally set assignment. Students are challenged to lead their education, learning from each other through group critiques as well as from the teacher. Students are given one to one support in and outside of lesson time.
Students are encouraged to use the department in their free time and trips to galleries in London are used to expand learning and ground the course in the context of the wider art community. Many of our students continue to further education and are supported in developing a portfolio and preparing for interview.
What does it lead to?
Throughout the course students build a wide range of skills; not only artist skills but also creative thinking, IT knowledge, communication, cultural awareness and problem solving; skills useful for a wide range of pathways.
There is often a misconception that ‘you can’t get a job with art’ but this simply isn’t true, and the creative industries are one of the UK’s fastest growing employment sectors, worth £71.4bn a year and make up 5.65% of the workforce.
The flexibility and versatility of studying an arts course means that students have the lion’s share of choices when it comes to which industry they can enter. Arts graduates typically find work in business, sales, management, media, hospitality and government agencies. In other words, the possibilities are endless and it’s really up to you where you choose to take your studies and apply your skills.
Entry Requirements:
Grade 5 or above in GCSE Art
Staff Contact:
Mrs E Faluyi, Art Teacher