Both GCSE Fine Art, Art Textiles and Photography are popular courses. Each “area” allow pupils to explore a range of materials, skills and techniques. Some pupils opt to study a combination.
Fine Art includes drawing, painting, sculpture, montage, collage and photography (both analogue and digital) and film to explore, develop and refine ideas leading to a finished, resolved piece of work.
Art Textiles includes a huge variety of fashion, printed, dyed and embellished techniques and involves the creation of textiles across a variety of practices. The tools used in textiles include traditional hand crafts as well as computer-aided technology. Parallel to Fine Art pupils explore, develop and refine ideas leading to a finished, resolved piece of work.
Photography involves building on knowledge gained from thematic photoshoots and documenting this journey through a work journal. Students will explore both analogue and digital technologies as well as contextual references. Photography trips for environment shoots and self-directed work is central practice.
Controlled Assessment over the two-year period includes a continuous theme based project, and is 60% of the final grade. The dialogue which exists between teacher and pupil and the pupil’s creative independence is an essential part of the course, as is learning to articulate ideas, with increasing confidence and fluency, about the visual world. Use of sketchbooks for gathering source material, contextual linking to artists, designers and photographers, and working through ideas for projects is also an essential part of the GCSE.
Half way through the 5th Form pupils prepare for a ten-hour External Assessment, which is a celebration of skills learnt over the two-year course.
There are regular events by artists, designers and photographers arranged by the Art School and trips to London galleries to further aid and enrich pupils. The GCSE course allows pupils to progress with an armoury of skills to A Level and IB Art and Design.
We currently follow Edexcel Fine Art, Textiles & Photography endorsements : http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/art-and-design-2016.html