Art and Design
Course Length
Two years (or one year depending on individual circumstances).
The course
Art and Design is a form of communication and a means of expressing ideas and feelings. GCSE Art and Design is a creative and practical course. Students are taught how to improve their technical drawing and painting skills as well as how to explore various techniques to develop ideas. They are also encouraged to research a variety of artists in order to inform their work.
GCSE Art and Design is essential for students wishing to pursue Art as an A-level course. It is also vital for any students intending to study Architecture or for any number of careers in the creative industries, such as Illustration, Graphic Design or Fashion.
What skills do I need?
Good technical drawing and painting skills are desirable. A high level of self-motivation and commitment are needed as students will have to spend a considerable amount of time working unsupervised in the Art Studio. Students should also be open-minded and willing to explore a variety of techniques and processes in order to improve their practical artwork.
How is the course assessed?
AQA offer a number of different options for GCSE Art and Design. At MPW Cambridge students follow the Fine Art option, producing practical and contextual work in the following areas of Fine Art: drawing, painting and mixed media.
There are two components. Component 1 is coursework which has to be completed by January. It is marked out of 96 and carries 60% weighting. The portfolio of work is selected from work undertaken during the course and must include more than one project. Photography methods are used to support a personal response to an idea, theme or issue. A response to all assessment objectives is required in the portfolio as a whole.
Component 2 is an external assessment set by AQA and concludes with a supervised time of 10 hours. It is marked out of 96 and carries 40% weighting. Students respond to their chosen starting point to produce a personal response. Question papers can be issued to students from 1 January in the year of the exam. Students have unlimited preparation time and a 10 hour period of supervised time. A response to all assessment objectives is required. Work presented is marked by the centre and moderated by AQA.
Exam Board and Specification Codes
AQA Art and Design (Fine Art) 8202
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