Exam Board: AQA
8202 – Fine Art
8205 – Three Dimensional Design
Students can take two of the above endorsements, if they chose to study Art in two option blocks.
What will I be studying?
The GCSE Art course is very flexible. You can develop a personal artistic style, expressing your own creativity and individualism. You do this based on your own interests, cultural background and choice of media. The course enables you to take responsibility for your artistic development. We offer a sound structure of lessons, specialist teaching, workshop sessions, extra-curricular activities, visits from practising artists and trips to art galleries. You bring to the subject your enthusiasm, commitment and passion.
Depending on the sort of work you chose to do, you might enter for the Fine Art syllabus, which will be based on drawing, print-making and painting, Three-Dimensional Design, which is ceramics and sculpture.
How will I be assessed?
Portfolio of work. Over the course you will build up a portfolio of work. Assessment is based on a complete record of the work that you have done over the course, both final pieces and sketchbooks that show all your thinking and working out. The sketchbooks will include research into art and artists, evidence of experimentation with materials and techniques, evidence of your inspiration, examples of first hand resources, your practice, explorations and experimentations, and how you have thought through your ideas to reach the creation of your finished works. This portfolio of work is 60% of the final mark.
Externally Set Task
The examination paper is issued at the start of the Spring Term of the second year, when you are given several weeks preparation time. As with the portfolio, you use this time to build up a sketchbook of research and development work, which culminates in ten hours of sustained focused study, spread over two consecutive days. The externally set task is 40% of the final mark.
Is there anything else I need to know about this subject course?
Since all of the work you produce is assessed, you need to work hard right from the start of Lower Fifth. All the work you produce will contribute to your final grade.
Whether you are an excellent draughtsman, or a film-maker/photographer who is not so keen on drawing, or a ceramicist/sculptor, but not so good at the written side of things, you can achieve well in this course. Essays are not required, although any notes you do make are useful in describing to your teacher and the assessor how your ideas are progressing, and what your intentions are in your work. At Sidcot we tend to set broad themes which you respond to in a personal way. We teach you aspects that you individually want to develop, whether this is drawing, painting or printing, or ceramics or digital. It really depends on how and where you want your project to go. The emphasis of the GCSE course is on ‘development’ and ‘process’, as well as on the creation of finished work for exhibition. You will be taught techniques and skills, but the emphasis will be on you and your own creativity.
Portfolio of work 60%
Externally set task 40%
Further information
Please contact Johannah Egan
johannah.egan@sidcot.org.uk