FINE ART in the Sixth Form
What is examined?
The course encourages an adventurous and enquiring approach to Art and Design, placing the student in the centre of their learning:
- Intellectual, imaginative, creative and intuitive powers.
- Investigative, analytical, experimental, practical, technical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and critical judgment.
- An understanding of the interrelations between Art and Design and an awareness of the contexts in which they operate.
- Knowledge and understanding of Art and Design in contemporary society and in other times and cultures.
Do I have the necessary skills?
- Above all you should be genuinely interested and willing to explore and develop art forms and of course work hard.
- This course is designed to progress naturally from GCSE level exploring new processes, media, art history and personal themes in more depth and detail.
- A GCSE in Art and Design is advantageous but not always essential.
How is it examined?
Two AS units are taken at the end of the first year of Sixth Form for an AS qualification and a further two A2 units are taken at the end of the second year leading to a full A level.
AS Unit 1: Coursework 60% of the AS or 30% of the A Level
Internally set, internally marked and externally moderated.
You will be required to work from a given starting theme towards one or more well considered conclusions. In doing so you will:
- Record observations, experiences, ideas, information and insights in visual and other forms, appropriate to intentions
- Analyse and evaluate critically sources such as images, objects, artefacts and texts, showing understanding of purposes, meanings and contexts.
- Develop ideas through sustained investigations and exploration, selecting and using materials, processes and resources, identifying and interpreting relationships and analysing methods and outcomes.
- Present a personal, coherent and informed response, realising intentions and articulating and explaining connections with the work of others.
AS Unit 2: Externally set assignment 40% of the AS, 20% of A Level
The external paper will be given to you prior to the examination and will provide you with a starting point. This will conclude with an eight hour practical examination. An exhibition for assessment concludes the AS course.
The two A2 units to complete a full A Level in the second year of Sixth Form are:
A2 Unit 3: Coursework 30% of A Level
This unit incorporates two linked elements
A Practical work
B Personal written study
Practical work provides opportunities for students to pursue their own creative, visual ideas in a chosen area of art, craft and design.
The written study requires students to produce an illustrated dissertation on a selected aspect of another artists work. Students are required to research, evaluate, analyse and establish coherent and sustainable links between their own practical work for this unit with that of historical and contemporary references. These elements should be seen as integrally connected and supporting each other.
A2 Unit 4: Exam 20% of the A Level
This externally set paper is handed to you prior to the exam and will provide you with the starting point as practised at AS Level. This will be followed by a 12 hour exam and an exhibition to conclude the course.
Please contact Mrs Joanna Hudson, Head of Art for further details.