Art & Photography - A Level

"I really enjoy Art as there’s constant encouragement to experiment and try new techniques.”

Entry Requirements

Three GCSEs at grade 4 plus a grade 5 in GCSE English Language

Subject Intent

A Level Art & Photography offers students a truly creative opportunity, allowing them to flourish personally and academically through self-expression. The curriculum provides independence, communication, learning, and thinking skills and combines this with practical elements and hands-on experience. Students can expect to gain analytical and written skills through the study of a diverse range of contextual influences. Over the two-year course, a large variety of practical techniques, skills and processes are covered, allowing students to progress in their own creative projects. Creative works produced by students throughout the course could be used within their professional portfolios, to demonstrate their skills to future employers or interviewers. Students will develop an in depth understanding of the creative industry, and acquire knowledge, skills and professional attributes to prepare them for their future university study and careers.

Course Introduction

Within Art & Photography you will develop as an Artist, exploring your own ideas and creativity with constant reference to contemporary art practice and culture. You can choose to follow an art or photography pathway and will have the option to try out all areas before deciding on your own personal route.

You will complete a series of workshops before specialising in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, installation, fine art textiles, or printmaking, underpinned by contextual research.

A Level Art & Photography covers a wide variety of media and techniques with regular one-to-one tutorials from highly experienced staff. The atmosphere in the art studios is alive with a diversity of ideas and methods of work. Many students gravitate towards the art studios in their own time to continue their work in a supportive, highly creative and very happy environment.

The department is extremely high performing and produces excellent results. You can combine A Level Art & Photography with any of the college courses and the department also offers A Level’s in Textiles and Graphic Communication. You don't have to have studied Art previously; you just need enthusiasm and a willingness to try new things!

Course Modules

First Year

Personal Creative Enquiry

Intended to introduce you to a range of different art processes and materials as well as giving you knowledge and skills that will allow you to develop your own individual creative working practices. Working from a given theme you will develop your recording and research skills whilst being introduced to a wide range of historical and contemporary artists.

Media experimentation across a range of specialist areas will allow you to identify and evaluate strengths in your own practical work. Towards the end of this first unit, you will be given the opportunity to generate and develop your own ideas in response to the work of others and your understanding of the theme, before working towards a well-considered final piece or pieces. One lesson per week will be photography techniques and processes.

Second Year

Personal Investigation

The emphasis of the second year is on independent study to enrich your own personal work, integrating contextual studies with your personal practice. This can take many forms and is usually a very visual study including some larger pieces of work if it is appropriate.

Students are also encouraged to look at the work of the previous second year students and apply the same rigorous process of analysis as they would to a professional artist’s work.

Externally Set Assignment

The theme for the second unit is set by the exam board and takes the form of a given set of starting points for you to choose from. You will be given the exam paper at the beginning of February and with your teacher’s support identify your own personal intentions in response to your interpretation of the theme.

Assessment

All first and second year units are marked separately to give you an ‘overall’ grade. Work journals are marked alongside practical work regularly throughout the year. You will receive an Art and Design: Fine Art qualification upon successful completion of this course.

Course Fact

On completion of the A Level many of our students continue onto the Art, Design & Media Foundation Diploma.

Example Career Opportunities

Architect | Interior Designer | Animator | Photographer | Engineer | Art Therapist | Teacher | Set Designer