GCSE Art and Design
Edexcel Unendorsed (all techniques) GCSE Art and Design - or Edexcel GCSE Art and Design: Photography - lens and light based media
Art & Design GCSE
Artistic enjoyment and creativity has never been more universal, more innovative, more easily distributed, shared and exchanged. The UK has the largest creative sector in the EU, and Art & Design based qualifications have never been so valued. Recognised by every Russell Group University as a valued and sort after accompaniment to other core subjects, studying Art at GCSE will broaden your horizons, stimulate new thinking and inspire a way of thinking that positively sets you apart.
Unendorsed GCSE Art and Design is for students who enjoy making practical work with some academic art history/theory studies to support their creative ideas. Work at this level encourages the development of more personal projects than in lower school with far more choice to work in individuals' preferred medium. Students are taken on gallery visits where they are given the opportunity to study with a tutor onsite and to see artwork first-hand. The range of media, techniques and scale of work possible is varied and includes drawing, painting, photography, installation, Photoshop, Illustrator, 2D design for laser cutting, Flash animation, stop motion animation, film, printmaking (etching, lino, stencil - spay painting, screen printing) sculpture etc. Students are expected to quickly learn to work autonomously, show some experimental variety to their approaches and to work to coursework deadlines.
There is an option to focus on GCSE Art and Design: Photography - lens and light based media rather than Unendorsed GCSE Art and Design. This involves experimental photography and exploration of all light and lens based media instead of a broader range of all Art and Design being studied. Please discuss this with your teacher for more information.
During Year 10, students complete a series of short workshop style projects designed to develop a number of practical and developmental skills. They then go on to develop more personal coursework. Year 11 involves the completion of a coursework project as part of the mock exam and the final GCSE exam project. Each student's work is assessed at the end of Year 11 through an exhibition that is marked by both an external moderator and the Art Department's teaching staff.
Examples of past project titles include ‘Hidden Worlds’,'Ordinary and Extraordinary’ and 'Apart and or Together' which are general enough for the opportunity of personal interests to be studied.
An Art and Design GCSE can lead to many possible career options such as: advertising - art director, artist, animator, architect, game designer, graphic designer, film and video producer, fashion designer, illustrator, photographer, product designer, jewellery designer, teacher, theatre and set designer, sculptor, web designer etc. or it can complement other careers where employees need creative people who are critical thinkers with curious minds.