Art

Exam Board

AQA

 Fine Art

 

Why do I have to study Art?

 Art is taught across KS3 with the aim of providing students with the opportunity to explore a broad range of artistic media. Students learn about the world around them and develop their own sense of self-expression. Additionally students learn a number of transferable skills such as critical thinking, presentation, questioning skills, adaptability, time management and independent learning which support their learning across the curriculum.

The Art department promotes and develops skills for each student to enhance their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding and encourages them to participate and add value to the world around them. The topics are designed to allow students to build these skills through exploration and understanding of the world around them.

Students have the opportunity to choose Art as an option subject and continue to study it into KS4.

 

How will I be examined?

There are two parts to the AQA course for GCSE Art and Design. The portfolio is 60 per cent of the course and the externally set assignment is 40 per cent.

The externally set assignment is the ‘exam’ at the end of the GCSE course. In January of Year 11 the externally set assignment papers are released (ESA). They contain starting points written for the different areas of the course – eg Fine Art, or Graphic Communication.

Each paper has seven starting points. You can choose the one you like or excites you most or one that you think you can do well.

The starting point is a short paragraph on a theme that gives some guidance and some suggested artists to look at.

The externally set assignment is assessed by the art department in each school. Once the ten-hour unaided, supervised time is over, all of the preparatory work is handed in with the finished final piece(s). 

 

What will I study?

In Component 1 and Component 2 students are required to work in one or more areas(s) of fine art, such as those listed below:

  • Drawing

  • Painting

  • Sculpture

  • Installation

  • Lens / light based media

  • Photography and moving image

  • Printmaking

  • Mixed Media

 

They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas.

 

Recommended text books, additional reading 

  • Oxford revise – AQA GCSE 9-1 Biology higher

  • Oxford revise – AQA GCSE 9-1 Chemistry higher

  • Oxford revise – AQA GCSE 9-1 Physics higher

  • CGP revision books are an excellent resource

 

 

Recommended  online resources

 

Department contact:

Zakirah Begum, Head of Art – Art (zakirah.begum@londonenterpriseacademy.org)