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ART & DESIGN I S T D U N S TA N ’ S T H E S I X T H F O R M E X P E R I E N C E
ART & DESIGN EDEXCEL 9ADO Why study Art? We live in a visually saturated world; the creative industries are booming. Art is the perfect subject to study to develop your creative thinking skills, individuality and technique. A Level lesson emphasis and development on the ability to think laterally and to convey ideas will aid your progression in any career. Art & Design at SDC prepares you think and act as an individual, to have clear and thoughtful research, to write and make creatively and to use a huge array of practical technical skills, all of which make you a flexible and creative problem-solver. At SDC, we prioritise students becoming their own artist. We aim to facilitate student choice and freedom to experiment and try new techniques. Our strength lies within contemporary, conceptually engaging, socially aware art. Small class sizes and strong relationships allow students and teachers to work in an individualised and support way.
Course content There are two components that make up the course, each with stand alone process work and final outcomes; Component 1: Personal Study, Component 2: Externally Set Exam. Within the Personal Investigation, students work through a series of technique workshops that help them develop different skills and visual language in preparation for their individually chosen Personal Study investigation. The investigation and development of the Personal study will be shown through practical studies and a supporting essay. Students will have opportunities to generate practical work, ideas and research from primary, secondary and contextual sources. They will experiment with media and processes, and develop and refine their ideas, presenting personal and exciting outcomes.
Entry requirements Grade 7 or above in Art and Design GCSE, or a suitable portfolio of similar standard artwork undertaken over time that meets Department approval if Art GCSE was not taken.
Enrichment
Progression Students may go onto study at Foundation level, followed by degree courses such as Fine Art, Fashion, Architecture, Photography and Graphic Design.
Assessment Students submit supporting studies and practical outcome(s) in response to the given theme. Supporting studies will consist of annotation, research and compiled contextual references; practical exploration of material and techniques, recordings from primary sources and developmental stages of practice work leading with refined practical outcome(s). There is a sustained focus period of 15 hours under examination conditions in which students produce their final response(s) to the theme. Personal Investigation – 60% of the qualification. Part 1 – Personal Investigation: Students submit supporting studies and practical outcome(s). Part 2 – Personal Study: Students to produce a personal study involving an element of research of 3000 words maximum. The subject(s) explored in the personal study must link to and be informed by their practical supporting studies. Externally Set Assignment – 40% of qualification. This represents the culmination of the A Level course. The assignment will be externally set and consist of one broad-based thematic starting point, released on February 1. The delivery of this component is planned with appropriate guidance during the preparatory period, encouraging independence in the development of student ideas intentions and response. There is a sustained focus period of 15 hours under examination conditions in which students produce their final response(s) to the theme.
• Weekly A Level Clinic and Enrichment Club with one-on-one support and extra workshops. • Regular gallery and museum visits that allow us to experience London’s culturally rich offer. Recent visits have been to Tate Modern, Royal Academy of Arts, Hayward Gallery, Serpentine Gallery and the Barbican. • Artist workshops and visit. These have recently included life drawing courses, sculpture workshops, and talks on diversity and inclusivity in art. • Foundation Course application and guidance workshops. These aim to help students develop a portfolio, have interview practice and find the best foundation course for them.
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