KS4 - GCSE Art & Design
In Key Stage 4 students have the opportunity to study art & design as their optional subject choice. This course is built up of an externally set task and a portfolio of work (Non examined assessment - NEA).
Set task - Principles of Product Design – 10hr – 80 marks (40% of overall grade)
NEA – Portfolio of work – 60hrs (Approx.) – 120 marks (60% of overall grade)
Within the course there will be exploration into a variety of fine art disciplines ranging from the Renaissance period to contemporary works of today. These include painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, installation, and digital work. Students will build their knowledge of significant artists across this timeline, informing their practice by investigating movements, styles and techniques. They are encouraged to explore the use of different mediums and technical processes which will evolve and develop their own art skills and practice.
Students will harness good time management skills as they build their independence in research and content exploration. Learning to understand how to be critically analytical whilst gathering information is fundamental to both their practice and response refinement.
It is fully expected that students bring their own interests and passions to their art practice. Whilst core development and refinement of practical skills, theoretical understanding and contextual exploration are paramount; the engagement and optimization of imagination and creativity is hugely encouraged. This could include bringing influences from different industrial disciplines such as: design, architecture, fashion, engineering and many more.
The building of good visual communication skills is important for applications in many industries within and beyond the arts.