GCSE Art & Design is a subject that is 100% practical. There are no written, hall based exams and all the work you produce over the two years is counted towards your qualification. Over the two year course you will produce two projects: A Coursework Portfolio worth 60% and an Externally Set Assignment unit which makes up the final 40% of your GCSE grade. Both projects are marked by your teachers who will have offered you guidance and support throughout. Take a look at our GCSE video and explore the gallery to see the work pupils produce in GCSE Art.

Coursework Portfolio (60%)

Year 10: At the start of Year 10 we will help you develop your confidence and core skills. By having more dedicated art lessons than in Key Stage 3 you will be able to experiment and produce lots more ambitious work. You will have the chance to work with lots of different materials to find what you enjoy most! You can expect to explore drawing, painting, sculpture, clay, photography, printmaking & mixed media. Once you have mastered the materials you will develop your own personal project based on YOUR interests. Projects vary from investigating pollution and global warming to exploring emotions through portraits. The possibilities are endless and allow you to EXPRESS YOURSELF!

Year 11:The first term of Year 11 is used to conclude your personal project. You will have completed sketchbook pages, prep sheets, artist research and developed ideas towards a final piece.

Externally set assignment (40%)

In January of Year 11 the WJEC release a paper which gives a choice of 15 topics in the externally set assignment. You will need to pick the ONE title that most interests you & produce a short project on this. This project follows the same mark scheme & format as your coursework portfolio so there are no surprises! You will work for approximately 8 weeks on this and conclude the project with a 10 hour practical exam. That’s two whole days of creating in the art room uninterrupted! For a keen artist this isn’t as daunting as it sounds! In fact it is quite an enjoyable experience where you can produce something to be proud of. You will experiment with ideas before the exam days and work closely with your teachers to ensure you can produce a really impressive outcome on the day. If you work hard throughout the preparation period you will do well. You also sit this practical exam earlier than other subjects, relieving a bit of pressure in the summer.

You will be able to broaden your horizons during our popular department visits to London galleries & museums. You will experience a wide range of art styles from traditional to contemporary and get ideas for your own artwork. On recent visits to London we have visited the National Gallery, Tate Modern, the Natural History Museum and the V&A.

“I’ve heard there’s a lot of work ...”

All of your GCSE courses will be demanding! You need to think about the type of work you WANT to be doing. If you are creative your school days could feel a little boring if you don’t opt for a creative subject. In Art you will produce 2 projects over two years. You will be guided every step of the way and won’t have any more homework than in other subject areas.

“I want to be a Doctor (or other jobs) ... Art is no use to me!”

Think about the skills you are learning when producing Art. You are learning to think, not just to draw! Art GCSE will not limit your future options. Creativity & imagination are essential skills needed to excel in any walk of life. Did you know that trainee doctors attend life drawing classes to hone their observational skills and understand anatomy?

‘I don’t think I’m good enough to study Art ...’

Just look at Daisy’s progress from Year 8 to Year 11! With hard work and more lessons dedicated to art at GCSE you will see a huge jump in your skills during the GCSE course. Speak to your teacher and ask their opinion! Remember the work you see here is the result of a two year journey, don’t be put off, be inspired!

LOIS: "I chose to take GCSE Art as I had a passion for the subject from a young age. It gave me freedom to push my projects in many different directions and develop my skills as an artist and a thinker. Art was a chance for me to relax and take a break from other subjects and proved to be quite calming at times. GCSE Art allowed me to better engage with parts of my brain which may not have been involved in other subjects. I loved everything about it and would definitely recommend taking it as an option, even if you are unsure what you wish to do in the future!"

TOM: "I chose to study GCSE art as a means of creative release alongside my other subjects and to develop my interests in drawing. I really enjoyed art lessons and wanted to explore the subject in further detail and grow my interest. Caerleon has a brilliant Art department with very supportive teachers. The course is rewarding and allows you to take control of your learning, producing art based around your interests. It allows you to express yourself which is so important! I'm now studying Art at Uni and loving every minute!"

MEG: "If you enjoy Art, follow that enjoyment through to GCSE! I was originally going to study a language but realised that my timetable was too demanding. I switched to Art and it’s now the subject I look forward to most on my timetable. I think if anything choosing Art improved my academic subjects as it gave me the chance to work in a different way and took the pressure off. I love coming to art lessons and working on big scale pieces and talking through my ideas. "

CHARLIE: "I loved GCSE Art! It was the best decision I made to take it. It made me realise I wanted to carry on with Art for A level and has even led me to studying a creative subject at university. This wasn’t my original plan when I first started Year 10! It was the most fun GCSE where I got the chance to produce my own unique work. I even enjoyed the 10 hour exam! Art gave a good balance to my other subjects choices, allowing me to be really creative & producing pieces I could be proud of."