ART and DESIGN (Edexcel)

A Level Course Outline

"Creativity takes courage" - Henri Matisse

Who Should Study A level Art and Design?

Are you curious about the world around you? Do you like to explore and record ideas visually? Do you have ideas and opinions that you want to communicate?

Art students will excel on the A level course who are curious about the visual world and have a genuine interest in developing their ability to engage with, respond to and analyse works or Art. You will also enjoy developing your skills in exploring a wide range of 2D and 3D materials and techniques.

What Topics Will I Study In the two year A level Art and Design programme?

The full A Level course consists of two units. Unit 1: Personal Investigation (Art and Design Coursework) = 60%. Unit 2: Externally Set Assignment (ESA): (Exam project completed in set time and a 15 hour Exam) = 40%.

Unit 1: Personal Investigation = 60% (12% of which is for the written essay)
Unit 1 begins with a series of teacher-led workshops on a given theme developing your skills in generating ideas, creating practical experiments as well as developing your knowledge and understanding of artists and their work. This will enable you to create a body of independent work as you progress through Unit 1. The Personal investigation enables you to research your own theme, which is suited to your interests, encouraging you to develop your practical making skills in more depth.

You will be encouraged to work independently, to develop ideas through sustained investigations and explorations of a range of techniques, materials and processes. You will identify and interpret relationships between visual ideas and analyse methods and outcomes to progress your work. You will learn how to refine your work through in-depth study and manipulation of formal elements. You will be encouraged to explore relevant research and gain first-hand experience and critical awareness of works of art and design through regular gallery visits.

Unit 2: Externally Set Assignment (ESA) = 40%
A theme is set by the exam board, in the spring term, and will have approximately 10 school weeks to respond, producing a new body of practical work. The examination has a timed component - 15 hours, completed over a series of days, during which you are expected to produce an exceptionally well refined finished piece of artwork.

What Challenges Will I Face In Art and Design?

• You will continue to develop your skills of analysis and use of critical vocabulary in your personal study.
• You will interpret the world as you see it and refine your visual language skills to develop a more personal voice.
• You will develop the ability to assimilate research and your ideas and match them effectively with appropriate materials and techniques to enhance meaning in your work and enhance avenues of investigation.
• You will create a portfolio of visual work, which you can use at interview to showcase your work at Art and Design foundation interviews.

What Careers Can Art and Design Lead To?
There are multiple career paths to pursue within the creative industries. Fine Art, Design for Textiles, Fashion, Product, Furniture, Ceramics, Graphics, Illustration, Architecture, Interior design, Theatre, Television, Film, Photography, Advertising, Galleries, Museum and Heritage.

Structure of the Course
This course will be taught for 5 x 1 hour lessons per week in year 12 and 6 x 1 hour lessons per week in year 13, these lessons will usually be blocked as 2-3 hour slots. Homework will be set weekly and deadlines must be adhered to. Research and first-hand experience of works of art and design at galleries is essential.

Art and Design (EDX) A level Specification
Unit 1 Personal Investigation Internally set, assessed by the teacher and externally moderated. 60% of the total qualification Total marks available: 90	Overview of assessment Part 1: practical work (72 marks) From personal starting points Students submit: - supporting studies - personal outcome(s) Part 2: personal study (18 marks) Students submit a piece of continuous prose of a minimum of 1000 words Students will have opportunity to generate practical work, ideas and research from primary, secondary and contextual sources. They will experiment with media and processes, and develop and refine their ideas, presenting their outcomes.
Unit 2 Externally Set Assignment Externally-set exam theme Sustained focus period of 15 hours of controlled assessment in which students create final response(s) to the theme. 40% of the total qualification Total marks available: 72	Overview of assessment Preparatory period, encouraging student independence in the development of ideas, intentions and response(s) Preparatory studies will comprise a sketchbook/portfolio of practical and written development work based on the Externally Set theme. During the 15 hour period of sustained focus under examination conditions, students will produce final outcome(s) extending from their preparatory studies in response to the Externally Set Assignment. The 15 hour period of sustained focus under examination conditions will take place over multiple sessions Work must cover all four Assessment Objectives

Reference Prior and During Course

Thinking About Art, Penny Huntsman
ISBN:978-1-118-90497-8 Wiley Blackwell 2016

Ways of Seeing, John Berger
ISBN: 978-0-141-03579-6 Penguin 2008

The Drawing Book, Sarah Simblet
ISBN:1-4053-0630-0 Dorling Kindersley 2005

Introductory Summer Work

Pre course start: Visit an exhibition and write a shot review of one of your favourite artworks in the exhibition, analyse the use of materials, techniques and formal elements. Express your opinion about the work. Make your own visual response to the exhibition - you could explore a theme, idea, material and/or technique that inspired you at the exhibition.

Year 12 - Year 13: Complete the first draft of your essay and start making practical developments exploring your chosen personal investigation theme.