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GCSE Art & Design

GCSE Art & Design is a broad and varied course exploring practical, critical and contextual work through a range of 2D and/or 3D processes and new media and technologies.  This GCSE course is made up of two separate units, Portfolio of Work and Externally Set Task, which are completed across year 10 and year 11.

Unit 1 Portfolio of Work

Supporting Unit

• Students are given the opportunity to experiment and develop their skills in a wide variety of techniques, media and materials through a series of workshops and tasks

• This unit allows students to develop drawing skills, critical understanding, use of materials and experimental techniques

• Exploration of materials and techniques are inspired and supported by research of a range of contemporary and historical artists and makers

• The use of a sketchbook throughout this unit allows students to experiment with ideas and materials, using their book for recording changes to their ideas, composition ideas, artists references and experiments with techniques.

Portfolio Unit – ‘Identity’

• To demonstrate that students can sustain work from an initial starting point to the realisation of intentions

• Includes evidence of research, the development of ideas and meaningful links with critical and contextual sources.  

• The theme of Identity is very wide ranging and allows all students to be able to find a relevant starting point to take their work forward.

• Students present their explorations, photographs, experimentations and research using large A1 sheets to create a full portfolio of work, working towards producing a final resolved outcome at the end of the project.

Unit 2 Externally Set Task (Exam)

• This unit is externally set by the exam board, where students will receive an exam paper with a variety of starting points to choose to base their final project on.

• Students will further develop the skills they have acquired through Unit 1 by choosing their own theme from the exam paper to create an exciting, broad body of work using the skills and presentation skills they have developed in their first unit of work.

• As this is an externally set task, students will produce their final resolved outcome during controlled assessment (10 hours exam time).

Throughout both units, students are encouraged to evidence the relationship between process and outcome, reflect on and evaluate their experimentation process and research and visit galleries and museum to inform their own work. Students can explore any number of methods and materials such as photography, video/film, animation, installation, ceramic forms, sculptures, mixed media, printing, textiles, drawing and painting.

GCSE Art & Design Further Information

Art in Year 8

Year 8 allows students to build on their experience and develop their skills using the visual elements in a thematic curriculum.

During this year pupils will:

• Be able produce creative and imaginative outcomes that critically analyse and question a given theme/concept
• Continue to explore a wide range and combination of materials and techniques such as: drawing, colour blending, perspective drawing, mixed media layered collage, decoupage, wax relief, biro mark making, printing, textiles, 3D construction, needle/wet felting, portrait drawing…
• Investigate and research the work of contemporary and historical artists and makers such as: Owen Gildersleeve, Claes Oldenburg, Leonardo da Vinci, France Bourley, Andy Warhol, Chris Crites…
• Develop their visual literacy skills through critical analysis of the work of others and the critical evaluation and creation of their own artwork
• Generate ideas, plan and produce work in collaboration with others
• Build an awareness of the further applications and functions of Art & Design in society (art practice, scientific recording and observation, advertising)

Topics will include:

In the Kitchen: This unit explores the concept of Recycle and Reuse (rationing, food waste, using recycled materials) through a focus on mixed media techniques. Outcomes may include watercolour burger, wax transfer ketchup bottles, French knitted food, ceramic foods, felt and ceramic food packaging, cardboard constructed plates of food…

Inside the Body: Students are encouraged to experiment and take risks with their use of materials within this unit, which explores the use of Art for scientific recording and observation. Outcomes may include wax trapping, poly-block printing or felted cells, clay hearts, mixed media layer abstract cell forms…

Caged: This unit begins preparing students for the stepping stone to GCSE year of Year 9 by looking at meaning and concept in Art, giving students the opportunity to explore the themes of Endangered Species or Prisoners in a variety of materials and techniques. Outcomes may include collage portraits, endangered animal Babygro, Andy Warhol inspired polyblock prints, plastic bonding sea life animals…

KS3 Year 8 Art Further Information

Art in Year 7

Year 7 is an experimental year where students will be introduced to the building blocks of Art (the Visual Elements) and have the opportunity to explore a wide range of materials and techniques in Art.

During this year pupils will:

• Be introduced to the Visual Elements: Line, Tone, Colour, Texture, Pattern, Form and Shape
• Explore a wide range of materials and techniques such as: drawing, mark making, colour blending, biro, watercolour, ceramics, cardboard construction, wire, collage, scraffito, printmaking…
• Investigate and research the work of contemporary and historical artists and makers such as: Ernst Haeckel, Paul Cummins & Tom Piper, Jeff Koons, Alfonso Castillo Orta,…
• Take informed creative risks
• Analyse and comment on own work and the work of other artists
• Begin to understand the creative process and their own personal style in art

Topics will include:

Under the Sea: Students will explore all the Visual Elements in turn used by artists to inform their explorations. Outcomes may include mixed media turtles, wax resist shells, collograph printed seahorses, recycled plastic jellyfish… Students also have the opportunity to create ceramic poppies inspired by the work of Paul Cummins and Tom Piper, which are displayed as part of our school wide Remembrance Service. 

Celebration: This unit explores different forms of celebration such as parties and birthday, sport celebration and success and cultural celebrations such as Day of the Dead. Outcomes may include watercolour doughnuts, scraffito party poppers, cardboard constructed cakes, clay sugar skulls…

Toy Story: Students will be introduced to the meaning behind creating Art while looking at the work of contemporary artists and their reasons for creating Art. Outcomes may include oil pastel lego bricks, cardboard relief/constructed robots, collage ducks, felt etch a sketch…

KS3 Year 7 Art Further Information

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