AQA: AS / A LEVEL ART & DESIGN

This course encourages students to develop:
Intellectual, imaginative, creative and intuitive powers,
investigative, analytical, experimental, practical, technical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and judgement,
an understanding of the relationships between art, craft and design and an awareness of the contexts in which they operate,
knowledge and understanding of art, craft and design in contemporary societies and in other times and cultures.

Entry Requirements GCSE at Grade A or B is preferable.

Content and Assessment

Year 12 (AS) Units:
Unit 1: Coursework (2 pieces / projects) 15% weighting
Unit 2: Personal Investigation 15% weighting
Unit 3: Controlled Assignment (5 hours)(Final piece optional) 20% weighting

Year 13 (A2) Units
Unit 4: Coursework (1 piece / project) 50% weighting
Unit 5: Personal Study or practical project with extended annotation 15% weighting
Unit 6: Controlled Test (10-15 hours) (Final piece compulsory) 20% weighting

There may be either a broad UNENDORSED course followed, in which students experience a variety of disciplines, or a more specialised ENDORSED course in one of the following:

(1) 3D Studies (eg ceramics, sculpture)
(2) Fine Art (eg drawing and painting)
(3) Graphics Fine Art is the most common option.

Students will be assessed to these criteria. They must:
Record observations , experiences, ideas, information and insights in visual and other forms appropriate to intention.
Analyse and evaluate critically sources such as images, objects, artefacts and texts showing understanding of purpose, meaning and contexts.
Develop ideas through sustained investigations and exploration, selecting and using materials, processes and resources, identifying and interpreting relationships and analysing methods and outcomes.
Present a personal, coherent and informed response, realising intentions and articulating and explaining connections with the work of others.
Personal Investigation (Unit 3, Year 12, AS) encourages students to make visual and written responses to other artists’ work by theme, style or period of time. These responses will involve exploration of materials and techniques, require candidates to look at artists’ work “in the flesh”, as it were and students may progress to A2 level with the same topic, or change. Assessment of AS controlled assignment will focus on objectives 1 and 3, while A2 a heavier weighting will be given to objectives 1 and 4.

Looking Further Ahead

Art can open the door to careers in Graphics, Advertising, Furniture Design, Jewellery Making, Photography, Architecture, Interior Design, Textile Design, Fashion Design, Surface pattern design and Multi Media.