A-Level Fine Art
A Level Fine Art
The A Level Art course provides the opportunity to explore and take inspiration from societies, cultures, values, beliefs, personal interests and the world around us, and develop ways to communicate our ideas through the visual language.
You will be encouraged to explore the work of artists from a wide range of styles, genres and generations, drawing inspiration for the development of your own work. Along the way you will refine and gain confidence in your practical skills in a range of media, techniques and processes, picking out your strengths and honing your own identity as an artist.
Working in your own allocated space in a studio environment, you will spend your time building a portfolio of work, through which you will be encouraged to develop your investigations from personally selected starting points, allowing you to choose your individual direction and specialisms.
It is a familiar and natural progression for GCSE Art students, and the course structure is almost identical.
Why Choose Fine Art at St. Bede’s?
• Our Fine Art course is not merely training in how to produce technically accurate drawings or paintings. At St. Bede’s we are invested in helping you to become an inspired, passionate and engaged artist, who can use art as a platform to express their ideas, opinions and feelings through visual media.
• Our experienced and enthusiastic teachers provide a high level of one to one support and individually tailored guidance.
• You will have your own personal workspace within our dedicated Sixth Form Art Studio.
• The Sixth Form Art Studio is open to students at any time during the school day and you are welcome to spend as much time as you wish making use of the facilities available in the department.
• Our dedicated Photography Studio is available for Fine Art students to make use of, with the support of our specialist Photography teacher.
• We run a range of gallery visits throughout the two years, providing exposure to a wide variety of historical and contemporary artwork.
Assessment Information
Exam Board and Specification: AQA, Art & Design – Fine Art (7202)
Component 1: Personal Investigation (coursework)
Students build a body of work on a theme of their own choice, selected through discussion with their teacher. Work is developed through sustained investigation of personal lines of enquiry developing creative, visual ideas, exploring and experimenting with media and processes, applying skills, researching, recording and analysing ideas and the work of a variety of artists and creating refined, personal outcomes. Alongside their practical work, students are also required to complete a supporting essay of 1000-3000 words.
Worth 60% of the A level.
Component 2: Externally Set Assignment (exam)
The Externally Set Task begins in February of the Upper Sixth year. This component offers the choice of one of eight different topics, set by the Exam Board, presented in the exam paper. All questions offer broadly-based, thematic starting points which allow students the opportunity to interpret them in their own way. Students again produce a range of experimentation and development of ideas, influenced by the work of appropriate artists. Though students must make their own decisions on how to develop their exam projects, they will still be fully supported by teaching staff, in order to help them to develop cohesive and successful projects. Through the production of this preparatory work, students will provide themselves with a clear plan of the outcomes they wish to produce during the 15-hour, timed element of the exam (usually taking place in May), which they must complete unaided.
Worth 40% of the A level.