A Level Art & PhotographyExam Success

Preparing to succeed in A Level Art & Photography

Session Objectives:

• To have a greater understanding of the course requirements and expectations

• To have a clear understanding of the coursework and exam requirements

• To understand the Assessment Objectives• To have a guide to important dates and deadlines• To have an opportunity to refer to exemplar

submissions to make visual connections to the course expectations

STUDYING ART/PHOTOGRAPHY

Art is a form of communication

and expression:

A visual language, which deals

with the construction and

interpretation of both personal

and cultural meanings.

STUDYING ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Attainment in Art/Photography is achieved

through:

• The creative development of process

• Production

• Reflection

• Evaluation

Leading towards:

• Skills

• Knowledge

• Understanding

STUDYING ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

A Level students will need to demonstrate

BREADTH and DEPTH.

BREADTH is achieved by engagement in the

creative process by exploring a range of ideas,

skills and materials in order to develop their own

visual explorations.

DEPTH is achieved through sustained personal

involvement in selected visual processes, resulting in significant artistic attainment.

STUDYING ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

QE ART DEPARTMENT STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

COMMITMENT / PREPARED / AMBITIOUS /

COLLABORATIVE / PERSISTENT / INQUISITIVE / IMAGINATIVE / INDEPENDENT / PROACTIVE

By opting to do an A Level FINE ART / PHOTOGRAPHY course students are

making a commitment.

We are committed to providing students with the best possible

opportunities to develop their artistic and creative abilities.

In return our expectation is that students will do their best at all times and work effectively to reach their potential.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

A minimum of 1 hour independent study after each lesson

Study periods should be used effectively

A Level students are welcome to work in the art department at any time

Students are expected to independently take

opportunities to visit Art galleries and museums to help inform their work.

Please note that Photography students are expected to take a minimum of one shoot each week.

There is always the potential for extension work. This

might be wider research, reading, personal projects, or practical experimenting with materials / camera

COURSE OVERVIEWAQA A LEVEL FINE ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

This is a practical investigation supported by written material. Which must include:

o You are required to conduct a practical investigation, into an idea, issue,

concept or theme, supported by written material. You must independently

decide upon the focus of the investigation and must lead to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes.

o The investigation should be a coherent, in-depth study that demonstrates your

ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning from an initial starting point to a final realisation.

o The investigation must show clear development from initial intentions to the final

outcome or outcomes. It must include evidence of your ability to research and

develop ideas and relate your work in meaningful ways to relevant critical/contextual materials.

o The investigation must be informed by an aspect of contemporary or past practice of artists, photographers, designers or craftspeople.

o The written material must confirm understanding of creative decisions, providing evidence of all four assessment objectives by:

clarifying the focus of the investigation

demonstrating critical understanding of contextual and other sources

substantiating decisions leading to the development and refinement of ideas

recording ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions by reflecting critically on practical work

making meaningful connections between, visual, written and other elements.

COMPONENT 1:PERSONAL INVESTIGATION ESSAY

The written material must:

be a coherent and logically structured extended response of between

100 and 3000 words of continuous prose

include specialist vocabulary appropriate to the subject matter

include a bibliography that, identifies contextual references from sources

such as: books, journals, websites, through studies of others’ work made

during a residency, or on a site, museum or gallery visit

be legible with accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar so

that meaning is clear

You must identify and acknowledge sources which are not your own

COMPONENT 1:PERSONAL INVESTIGATION ESSAY

The work will be progressed as in Component 1; however you will be required to work independently and under examination conditions for a final 15 hours developing outcomes.

A LEVEL ESA Overview:Preparatory Period – from 1 February• Select one question from the exam paper• Work should be presented in any suitable format such as mounted sheets / sketchbooks

Supervised time – 15 hours• Following the preparatory period you will complete 15 hours of unaided, supervised

time.• In the 15 hours you must produce a finished outcome or series of related finished

outcomes, which have been informed by your preparatory work.• You must stop work on your preparatory work as soon as the first period of supervised

time starts.• You may refer to your preparatory work in the supervised time, but it must not be added

to or amended.• Work should be carefully selected, presented and organised providing clear evidence of

all four assessment objectives.

COMPONENT 2:EXTERNALLY SET ASSIGNMENT

STUDYING ART/PHOTOGRAPHY

In all of the components, students are required

to complete all of the Assessment Objectives.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

AO1 Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations

informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating

analytical and critical understanding.

AO2 Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials,

techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work

develops.

AO3 Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions,

reflecting critically on work and progress.

AO4 Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions

and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.

In summary:

AO1Develop ideas informed with excellent research and understanding

RESEARCHING / COLLATING / UNDERSTANDING / ANALYSING / CONTEXT

/ INFORMED

AO2

Develop original work, experimenting with a range of media and techniques

EXPERIMENT /APPLY TECHNIQUES / REVIEW / MODIFY / REFINE

AO3Record ideas, observations and insights at every stage

This might include using original imagery, text, drawings, audio/film recording...

RELEVANCE / REFLECTIVE / COMPARE / CONTRAST

AO4

Produce personal, informed and meaningful work that you care about and can fully justify

PERSONAL / INDIVIDUAL / REALISE INTENTIONS / HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING / COHESION

A guide to important dates and deadlines

Year 1 Year 12: Component 1

Sep - Feb Workshops to develop skills and techniques

Feb – June Pre-Personal Investigation

June – July Commence Component 1 Personal Investigation – Main Project Year 13 Entrance Exams

July – Sept Component 1 Observational drawing and artists research / analysis

Ist draft of essay

Year 2 Year 13 Component 1

Sep – Oct Development and Preliminary Outcome

2nd Draft of Essay

Nov – Dec Continued development & Refined & Highly Developed Outcome

Mock exam days

Essay Complete

Jan – Feb Resolve project & Ambitious & High Quality Outcome

Year 13 Externally Set Assignment

Feb – May Completion of preparatory work for exam

April – May 15 hour exam

May Component 1&2 internally marked and moderated

June AQA External Moderation

July Celebration of Creativity Evening

August Results

Student Support

• ACCESS TO THE ART DEPARTMENT – Before & After school, at lunchtimes as well as study periods

• SHARED RESOURCES – Saved on the MACs in shared temporary

- Support Sheets

- Checklists

- Personal Learning Checklists (My PLC)

- A Level Handbook

• EXAMPLAR WORK ON DISPLAY AND SHARED DURING LESSONS

• TEACHER SUPPORT & FEEDBACK

A Level Art & Photography Students need to be:

• COMMITTED & HARDWORKING

- for the entire course

• ORGANISED & PREPARED

- for each lesson and in the meeting of all deadlines

• INDEPENDENT, PROACTIVE, INQUISITIVE & PERSISTENT

- taking responsibility for their own progress and learning

• COLLABORATIVE- to be able to listen to advice and act upon advice- to work alongside staff and peers

• CREATIVE & IMAGINATIVE

• AMBITIOUS