The appearance of world around us adapts and changes on a daily basis. We are bombarded with visual imagery which our brains try to decipher and decode.
The study of Art and Design enables us to connect with the visual world, making us more aware of what we are seeing and improving our ability to read it.
Our students explore creativity through the study of both traditional and contemporary art with the aim of being conversant with the work of other times and cultures whilst becoming independent creators able to communicate their own ideas.
Our students work with traditional and new media exploring the visual elements of art, developing confidence, competence, imagination and creativity. Art provides students valuable opportunities to experiment, problem solve, reflect and critically judge their own work and that of other artists.
In the Sixth Form students are encouraged to develop their knowledge of materials, practices and technology within art. Students develop their experimental, analytical and documenting skills and their understanding of art, craft and design in history and in contemporary society.
Component 1 gives you opportunities to explore and cultivate fundamental skills, knowledge and understanding through a variety of experiences. These may include using sources, such as the local environment, gallery visits, workshops or other resources, to gather visually rich research which supports in-depth investigations. During the course you will be encouraged to experiment, collaborate, make informed creative decisions and innovate. Your studies should be developed to achieve appropriate depth and a suitably high degree of rigour.
There is a strong emphasis on the value of drawing skills. All A level Art and Design specifications require you to develop the skills to ‘record experiences and observations, in a variety of ways using drawing or other appropriate visual forms; undertake research; and gather, select and organise visual and other appropriate information’. This focus should you to appreciate the significance of drawing in the widest sense, by recognising and reviewing how it feeds the creative process across disciplines.
1. a major in-depth critical, practical and theoretical investigative project/portfolio and outcome/s based on themes and subject matter that have personal significance;
2. an extended written element of 1000 words minimum, which may contain images and texts and must clearly relate to practical and theoretical work using an appropriate working vocabulary and specialist terminology.
- Extended written, critical, contextual and analytical material can take a variety of forms, such as a personal study, an illustrated essay, a digital presentation or blog, illustrated study sheets, a written report, a journal, an article or review and should reflect upon the learner’s work and that of other practitioners.
- Both the practical/theoretical work and the written element will be assessed together using the assessment objectives. Learners will be required to select, evaluate and present their work for assessment.
- The Personal Investigation will be determined by the learner and teacher, assessed by the teacher and externally moderated.
- The externally set assignment materials are to be released to learners from 1 February (in the second year of the course) and will consist of a series of visual and written stimuli, which are to be presented to the learner at the start of the preparatory study period.
- One of the stimuli is to be selected by the learner and used as a starting point from which to elicit a personal response.
- Responses are developed during the preparatory study period. They should take the form of critical, practical and theoretical preparatory work/supporting studies which inform the resolution of ideas in the 15 hours sustained focus study.
- The start of the preparatory study period is defined as the date upon which the externally set assignment materials are presented to the learner. The preparatory study period may commence on or after 1 February. The preparatory study period finishes upon commencement of the sustained focus work.
- The resolution of learners’ ideas from the preparatory work must be completed during the designated 15 hours and they must show how their planning relates to the outcome/s.
- The period of sustained focus work must be completed under supervised conditions.
- Both the preparatory work and sustained focus work will be assessed together, using the assessment objectives.
- Learners will be required to select, evaluate and present their work for assessment.
- The Externally Set Assignment will be set by WJEC, assessed by the teacher and externally moderated.
The AO’s are equally weighted.
Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.
Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.
In response to the recommendations of the creative industries, higher education, the National Society for Education in Art and Design, the Cultural Learning Alliance, the Arts Council and expert teachers, there is an emphasis being placed on the value of drawing within this A level. Drawing is a fundamental aspect of the creative process and of visual language. This should also strengthen practice, support progression and meet the demands of higher education and/or the creative industries.
The context of drawing within a photography course could include:
- the purposeful use of drawing to record information
- the application of drawing in the designing, visualisation or expression of ideas
- the potential of drawing to communicate possibilities, such as compositional arrangements.
You can progress from this qualification to further education courses such as the BTEC Level 3
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (QCF) and Higher education courses such as BTEC Higher National Diplomas in art and design subjects, or direct to a BA Honours degree with an art and design focus. Previous students from St. Peter’s have gone on to study the Art Foundation course at CRC or directly to a degree course. You may wish to seek an apprenticeship or other training or employment in one of the many related sectors.
The word photograph was first used by Sir John Herschel in 1839 and is based on the Greek words ‘phos’, meaning ‘light’, and ‘graphê’, meaning ‘drawing’ – so “drawing with light”. Photography is used by artists to record, document, manipulate and present examples of everyday life, in ordinary and extraordinary circumstances. It is also used as the vehicle for artistic expression, communicating personal ideas about the world around us. Photography can be applied as a creative process across art, craft and design and is widely used in social, commercial and scientific contexts. With the development of digital technology and the smartphone, photography is more popular than ever before. However, whilst anyone can snap and run, the photographic process is an art form through which a multitude of methods can be used to creatively explore a broad range of subject matter.
On the A level Photography course there will be the freedom to explore various photographic styles to communicate your thoughts, ideas and impression of a range of subject matter. You could use photography to explore the visual elements of art to develop your confidence, competence, imagination and creativity. Any art-based subject provides you with valuable opportunities to develop your experimental, analytical and documenting skills and your understanding of art, craft and design in history and in contemporary society. The artistic process encourages reflection and critical judgements of your work and that of other artists. These are valuable skills which can be applied to other subject areas and future employment.
The A level Photography course is made up of two components:
Component 1: Personal Investigation (60% of A level 120 marks)
The Personal Investigation consists of two integrated parts:
- extended written, critical, contextual and analytical material can take a variety of forms, such as a personal study, an illustrated essay, a digital presentation or blog, illustrated study sheets, a written report, a journal, an article or review and should reflect upon the learner’s work and that of other practitioners.
- both the practical/theoretical work and the written element will be assessed together using the assessment objectives. You will be required to select, evaluate and present your work for assessment.
- the personal investigation theme will be determined by you and your teacher, assessed by the teacher and externally moderated.
Component 2 Externally Set Assignment (40% of A level – 80 marks)
The Externally Set Assignment consists of two parts:
Part 1: Preparatory study period
Part 2: 15 hour period of sustained focus work
How you will be assessed
All your work will be assessed against the following equally weighted Assessment Objectives.
AO1
Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
AO2
Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
AO3
Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.
AO4
Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.
There is still an emphasis on the value of drawing within this A level. Drawing is a fundamental aspect of the creative process and of visual language. This should also strengthen practice, support progression and meet the demands of higher education and/or the creative industries.
The context of drawing within a photography course could include:
You can progress from this qualification to further education courses such as the BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (QCF) or direct to a BA Honours degree with an art and design focus.
Previous students from St. Peter’s have gone on to study the Art Foundation course at CRC. The Photography A level could lead you on to a degree in Visual Communication, Photography, Fashion Photography, Creative Advertising or Marketing.
https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/a3ndenvr/eduqas-a-level-art-and-design-spec-from-2015-e-090119.pdf
"It is impossible for me to make a painting which has no reference to the powerful environment in which I live"
Peter Lanyon
Coast (1953) Peter Lanyon
The validity of Art in the curriculum stretches beyond practical skills with art based media. Art enhances fine motor skills, problem solving skills, lateral thinking, analysis and critical thinking skills. These are skills that can be applied to other subject areas and used in a variety of future careers. In any career you have an advantage if you can arrange, present and display material to be aesthetically and visually appealing.
To find out more information about Creative industries in the UK, support available for current and further study from Tate.org.uk and the careers available within Art & Design follow the links below.
www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk
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Cambridgeshire PE29 7DD
St Peter’s School is part of The Cam Academy Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number 0749 1945.
The registered oce is at St Peter’s School, St Peter's Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 7DD
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