A Level Art, Craft and Design
A level Art, Craft and Design at MPW offers students an opportunity to explore Fine Art, Graphic Design and Digital Art and Photography in a format that encourages and supports students to develop a strong visual language that they can use to express their own thoughts and ideas. Experiencing and understanding the work of exhibiting artists forms the core of each project students undertake.
What sort of student does it suit and what will you get out of the course?
Students interested in studying A level Art, Craft and Design are encouraged to gain a good grade at GCSE level. However, this is by no means essential. If you have the basic skills and a passion for the subject and are highly motivated, you should succeed.
The skills you will develop will be many and varied, not simply the ability to paint and draw. You will learn widely about different materials, practices and technologies in different fields of the Arts. You will develop the ability to communicate ideas and express yourself in a specialist vocabulary. You will develop an appreciation of the role of artists, photographers, craft makers and designers in the history of art and contemporary society. The course is suitable for both students who wish to undertake further studies in the field of art, craft and design and for those who simply have an interest and aptitude for the subject, but who do not intend to take the subject beyond A level study.
Reading
The Story of Art
By E H Gombrich
Published by Phaidon
The Art Book
By Adam Butler
Published by Phaidon
The 20th Century Art Book
By Rachel Barnes
Published by Phaidon
The Photography Book
By Ian Jeffery
Published by Phaidon
Drawing and Painting
By Kate Wilson
Published by Thames and Hudson
The Story of Art is a comprehensive survey of the entire history of western art from cave paintings to the present and is, in effect, the A level course text and reference for all A level examination boards. The other four books are excellent sources for skill development and visual references, with short and concise explanations about the work of a vast number of historic and contemporary artists.
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Success Stories
In their own words - testimonials from our past students and their parents.
Inspection Reports
MPW Birmingham was judged as Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted.
"The best part about studying at MPW is the friendly, encouraging and supportive classroom environment that MPW provides. It makes asking for help and reaching your potential easy and enjoyable. The college really helps students to believe in themselves. The Personal Tutor system is great because it is available for you to use to whatever extent you might need whether that be having weekly meetings or meeting every now and then for a quick catch up to analyse my current progress. The weekly Timed Assignments have also enabled me to build my confidence in the build up to my exams. They help you to feel comfortable in an exam environment, as well as enable you to consolidate the material you need to recall in the final exams"
Grades achieved at MPW: AAA Progressed to: Leeds University (Dentistry)
"I chose MPW because of the academic support provided by the college, which was instrumental in helping me throughout the challenging nature of my one-year A level courses. The weekly Timed Assignments and assistance provided by the Personal Tutor system helped me in areas I had previously struggled. Playing for the college football team was a great release from the challenging academic nature of the year and it helped me build friendships with other students in the college"
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AA Progressed to: Exeter University (Business Management)
"Having not achieved the grades I wanted or needed in my A levels at my previous college I decided that retaking would be the best option for me. I have found the small classes at MPW to be a real asset, and that, coupled with the fantastic teaching, has certainly enabled me to grow academically. Further to this, both the academic support and the university guidance provided by the college have been exceptional."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AB Progressed to: Exeter University (International Relations and History)
"After failing to get into Dental School last year I lost a lot of confidence and was worried that I might never get into my dream course. The one-to-one support you get from MPW is so much more efficient compared to the main stream schools and colleges. The individual help you get for applying to University which includes interview support is amazing. No matter if you are a resit or a first time student, no one judges you and as long as you are hardworking and want to be a success"
Grades achieved at MPW: A*A Progressed to: Manchester University (Dentistry)
"I joined MPW because I wanted to be part of a close knit community that focuses on helping students attain the grades they are really capable of. Each student is assigned a Personal Tutor who assists them in all aspects of student life. I would recommend the individual and personally tailored care given to any student looking to expand their academic horizons. The encouragement and support has allowed me to aim high and achieve results that I had previously thought weren't possible."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*A*A*A Progressed to: Oxford University (Mathematics)
"MPW gave me a second chance in pursuing a career in dentistry. The small class sizes and weekly timed assessments gave me and my tutors a clear indication of my progress. The rigorous teaching schedules, structured and tailored to my personal needs, was exactly what I needed. MPW placed heavy focus on exam technique as the key to achieving the required higher grades. Being able to talk with my tutors at any time in the day was an invaluable aid. It was also clear how much the teachers took a personal interest in the development of each individual student"
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AA Progressed to: King’s College London (Dentistry)
"I joined MPW having not fulfilled my academic potential during my AS level exams at my previous school. I decided to retake my AS year at MPW and it was the best decision I ever made. The tutors at MPW have pushed me to achieve my maximum potential and have greatly improved my academic performance. The best part of studying at MPW is the weekly timed assignments as they ensure that you continuously review and revise work as well as helping you to make weekly improvements on exam technique."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AA Progressed to: University of Warwick (Management)
"Throughout my time at MPW I have been provided with constant support. The college has prepared me for not only my exams but also the university interviews I attended. It has been an amazing experience from start to finish. The friendly and welcoming environment created by the staff and students made it an ideal setting for me to concentrate on achieving my targets"
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AA Progressed to: Bristol University (Dentistry)
"I came to MPW with very low self-confidence after under-achieving at AS level at my previous school, and have left with greater confidence about my academic ability and with a definite degree of clarity about what I hope to achieve in terms of my career. My experience at my previous school was that those with Oxbridge potential receive the most support and attention. This is not the case at MPW. I have found that it does not matter about that what the student's potential may be, each student receives the same amount of help to achieve their goals"
Grades achieved at MPW: AAA Progressed to: University of Birmingham (Law)