a level core curriculum

year 12 : foundation courses

In Year 12 students initially produce three Foundation Course projects (two mini and one major project) aimed to further improve basic skills and build upon the knowledge and understanding gained at GCSE. These project last approximately half of a term.

foundation course 1 - drawing

Here students aim to take their drawing skills to the next level. They investigate the drawing techniques adopted by a wide variety of artists and develop work on a theme of their choice.

Work Produced:

• Sketchbook investigations - drawings, photographs and annotations

• Artists’ drawings research and investigations

• Drawing development work

• Final large scale drawing(s)

Support Materials:

foundation course 2 - Homage

Students create a ‘Homage’ to an artist or artwork. This unit of work is also used to introduce students to oil painting and aims to take artists’ research and socio-historical references to the next level.

Work Produced:

• Sketchbook investigations - drawings, photographs, paintings and annotations

• Artists’ research and investigations, including socio-historical references

• Copies of paintings

• Development work

• Final Homage in oil paint

Support Materials:

foundation course 3 - major project

In February of Year 12 students start a major project . The work produced will follow the same format as previous GCSE project work. The format of project work at GCSE and A Level are similar. The quality and depth of both practical and written work is substantially better at A level.

The four assessment objectives and project components are;

·       Initial Preparatory work (including photography)

·       Artists research

·       Development

·       Final art work

(each assessment objective is given equal weighting)

Work Produced:

• Two or three pieces of initial preparatory work (including photography) and associated sketchbook work

• Artists’ research and investigations including copies of paintings

• One or two pieces of development work and associated sketchbook work

• Final art work and associated sketchbook work

Support Materials:

3 possible starting points for the major project

1 - systems of abstraction

Students investigate systems of abstraction. They investigate the painting abstraction techniques adopted by a variety of artists and develop work on a theme of their choice.

Support Materials:

2 - confident Marks

Students look to develop more confident and expressive painting. They investigate the painting techniques adopted by a variety of artists and develop work on a theme of their choice.

Support Materials:

3 - Drips & Splashes

Students again look to develop more confident and expressive painting. They investigate the painting techniques adopted by a wide variety of artists and develop work on a theme of their choice.

Support Materials:

main a level project : personal investigation

In the Summer term of Year 12 students start the main A Level Personal Investigation project students have a free choice of the topic they wish to investigate. There is also a wide selection of exemplar projects, from all genres of art. These can often help provide an inspiring starting point for students.

Work Produced:

• Three to four pieces of initial preparatory work (including photography) and associated sketchbook work

• Artists’ research and a 4-5000 word investigation

• Two or three pieces of development work and associated sketchbook work

• Final art work and associated sketchbook work

  (each assessment objective is given equal weighting)

year 13 : examination project

In Year 13 students spend the first term developing and completing the main A Level project they started at the end of Year 12 in readiness for the end of January coursework deadline (50% of the overall A Level qualification).

Students receive the A Level examination paper by the end of January in Year 13. The paper normally contains eight questions/topics, one of which students must use as a starting point to produce an ‘examination’ project (50% of the overall A Level qualification).

Work produced:

• The examination project work produced will follow the same format as the Main A Level Project

• Students have from January to May to complete all Initial Preparatory work, Artists research and Development work before sitting a 15 hour examination, during which they must produce a final piece/response