WHY STUDY ART A LEVEL?

The creative industries deliver economic, social and reputational value. They add over £100bn to the UK’s economy, export £46bn in goods and services worldwide and are growing at twice the rate of the general economy. The sector employs more than 2 million people, and expects to create one million more jobs by 2030.

Beyond these economic benefits, the creative industries continue to tackle regional inequalities, build communities across the UK, and enable individuals to lead lives that are happier, healthier, more sociable, and enriched through access to culture and creativity.

The job market wants creative people who are lateral and not always linear thinkers, people with a growth mind-set, and people with transferable skills, confident working in both teams and as individuals, unafraid to take risks.

Although demanding in both time and commitment, we believe this course to be challenging and fulfilling. The course provides the ideal platform for any student wishing to pursue the extensive career opportunities in the design or the creative and visual arts field. It will also appeal to those students who have been successful at GCSE and wish to maintain a creative balance in their studies.

To see work produced by our students, please visit our online gallery at: www.flickr.com/fortismereartdepartment/collections and the department’s  instagram: @fortismere_art_photography

 

WHAT WILL I STUDY?
Eduqas: FIne Art specification (A651 QS)
A Level Art Specification

The course is wide ranging, covering many approaches to creating art and design with four broad aims to develop:

• Intellectual, imaginative, creative and intuitive powers;
• Investigative, analytical, practical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and critical judgement;
• Understanding of contexts and inter-relationships between art, craft and design;
• Knowledge of art, craft and design in contemporary society and in other times and cultures.

Although practical work forms the majority of the A level art curriculum, critical awareness and the appreciation of artists will also play an important part in the course and students should be prepared to analyse their own work and the work of others.

YEAR 12
UNIT 1: Personal Investigation
The coursework element is worth 60% and is divided into skills workshops and independent projects.

Project 1: Mark-making
During this project students will:

• explore ways to create work that is non-figurative or literal
• explore known and new techniques and materials in both two and three dimensions
• work with artists, receive feedback and question them about their work
• supplement practical work with lessons in art history and critical analysis

Project 2: Diversity
An independent project where students create their own interpretation of the brief set.

Project 3: Secrets, Codes and Conventions
A second independent project where students develop their own response to the  theme.  The project ends in a mock exam during the summer term.

YEAR 13
Project 4: Personal Portfolio
This is divided into two elements:

• Personal Study: A written and illustrated study into an area of Fine Art.
• Personal Portfolio: A portfolio of practical work based on a brief
   

UNIT 2: Externally set assignment
The exam is worth 40% of the final mark. Students receive a choice of themes in January of Year 13. They then have approximately ten weeks to develop a project towards a final outcome. The final piece is created within a 15-hour exam spread across three days.

Students are assessed according to the Eduqas assessment criteria, which measure the way a student develops, experiments, records and realises their ideas.

HOW WILL I STUDY?
Much of the work will be studio-based. However, students will need to meet the demands of the subject through active research, gallery visits and a broad engagement in the whole area of art and design. We also offer regular study visits abroad and locally, run life classes and involve students with visiting artists and lecturers.

WHAT DO I NEED TO START THE COURSE?
Course entry requirement: Grade 5 in Art & Design (or relevant endorsement).