Two courses are offered in the Sixth Form: Art and Design and 'History of Art'.

ART AND DESIGN

Syllabus: AQA AS 5202 A level 6202

What will I learn on this A level course?

The main purpose of any course in art, craft and design is to develop your ability to appreciate the visual world, respond in a personal and creative way and perhaps even contribute for the benefit of everyone.

The skills you will develop will be varied. Among them, you will develop a working knowledge of materials, practices and technology within art. You will develop the skills to interpret and convey your ideas and feelings using art, craft and design. You will develop your imaginative and creative powers and your experimental, analytical and documenting skills. You will also develop a specialist vocabulary and the knowledge and understanding of the place of art, craft and design in history and in contemporary society.

What examinations will I have to take to get my qualification?

Advanced Subsidiary (AS)

The AS level is made up of three units.

Unit 1 Thematic Enquiry 30% of the AS or 15% of the A level
You will be required to work from a given starting theme towards one or more well-considered conclusions.

Unit 2 Expressive Study 30% of AS, 15% of A level
You will explore the expressive force of art and design. You will learn how to use appropriate language and practices to express your own ideas. You should use a work journal to develop your understanding of the formal elements of art.

Unit 3 Externally Set Assignment 40% of AS, 20 % of A level
A question paper will be given to you at the beginning of the Autumn term in the first year of the course, which will provide you with a choice of question. This will be taken at the end of the AS course and represents the culmination of your work so far.

Advanced Level (A2)

The full A level qualification is made up of the three AS units as above, plus three more units studied at higher level.

Unit 4 Contextual Study 15% of A level
The Contextual Study requires you to link your own practical work with a broader study of the world of art, craft and design. It can take a variety of forms. It could, for example, be a written and illustrated thesis of up to 1,500-2,000 words. It may take the form of a substantial display, a tape or slide presentation, a video, a combination of these or any other equivalent form agreed by your teacher. An important skill to develop in communication is the control of the design and presentation of your Study.

Unit 5 Problem-Solving 30% of A level
You will be required to identify a 'problem', in art or in society. You must then present your thoughts and your suggested solutions to this problem. This will include both visual and written or spoken evaluations to chart your progress towards the solution. You will need to explain why you have taken these decisions instead of others.

Unit 6 Independent Study 20% of A level
The Independent Study gives you the opportunities to show how you can use art to communicate and express your ideas. By this stage in the course, you will have developed your own personal style. This is your chance to express it fully and show the extent to which you can use the language of the subject and your understanding of the formal elements, the process and the practices of art, craft and design, to communicate your own ideas, thoughts and feelings.

'HISTORY OF ART' or to give it its full title ART AND DESIGN:HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL

Syllabus: AQA AS 5251 A level 6251

Students wishing to follow this course do not necessarily need to have any previous knowledge of the subject nor do they need to be following an Art and Design course at A level. It is generally expected that these courses will extend for two years; however, in certain cases, less time may be taken. The courses do involve trips to galleries in London, Cambridge and Europe which will involve extra cost.

This course is intended to introduce candidates to the European cultural and historical heritage in a way that they will not have studied before. It introduces both medieval art and the revival of classicism at the Renaissance as the bases for most later developments in European Art and Architecture.

The specification is intended to:

• introduce candidates to broad chronological periods in the History of European Art in painting and sculpture, and architecture;
  
• introduce them to the more specialised study of selected topics in some depth;
  
• encourage, in the theses, individual study of a topic chosen by the student under supervision.

It is appreciated that some students may have included historical and critical studies from different cultural backgrounds as part of a GCSE course in Art and Design. Such skills developed at GCSE, whilst forming a useful basis for development, are not a prerequisite for study of this specification. The scheme of assessment includes a thesis as one of its distinguishing features. The thesis has a broad framework particularly suited to the needs of candidates who may wish to build on critical skills developed from studying different cultural backgrounds. The chosen topic may be free-standing and concerned with a topic not directly dependent on the subject content of this specification, but it must be an art historical topic of which the candidate has first-hand knowledge and to which there can be personal contribution by research. Topics in non-European History are encouraged for the thesis, and section 6(e) in Notes to Candidates illustrates some of the possibilities open to candidates with knowledge, understanding and interest in art and architecture of other cultures. It is seen as desirable that candidates should choose their own thesis topic but preliminary discussion with the teacher about the feasibility and implications of their choice is advisable before submission of the Proposal Form to the teacher for approval.

The other distinguishing feature of this specification is the emphasis on the equal study of European Painting and Sculpture and European Architecture. The chronological range of periods specified permits the concurrent study of painting. sculpture and architecture.

Study of works, in so far as is possible in the original, is encouraged. This course places emphasis on the study of major works of art and architecture. Many of the works are in collections in London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, etc. although others are abroad. Much work will be possible with the use of slides and the variety of other resources available, but trips to galleries, both in this country and abroad, are an essential part of this course.