Course Summary

This is an exciting, popular and demanding course which allows students to explore their own ideas in a variety of materials. Students need to have an active and creative imagination, a confidence in expressing their ideas and a willingness to explore unusual units of study and create unique responses.

Students complete two units in Year 10 and the start of Year 11. Work is formally exhibited in the gallery upon completion. The two units are submitted as coursework along with the sketchbook preparation work and account for 60% of the course. Every piece of work that is completed in Years 10 and 11 is assessed as coursework

GCSE Art is an ideas based subject and students must have a way to successfully communicate their ideas visually. Good drawing and painting skills are usually a fundamental requirement to be able to do this. In addition, students must be willing to experiment with different materials and processes and be motivated to research topics in their own time. Students will keep sketchbooks throughout the course as a record of ideas, experiments and research and they form an important part of the final assessment. Much of the course relies upon the motivation and organisation of students to do additional study in their own time without the need for the teacher to be setting generic tasks. The art rooms are regularly open for students and are always busy after school. There is no taught ‘correct’ response to any problem instead students must find their own answer to any set tasks. Cartoons are not GCSE level art work.