ART

"Good is a known quantity. Good is what we all agree on. Growth is not necessarily good. Growth is an exploration of unlit recesses that may or may not yield to our research. As long as you stick to good you’ll never have real growth."

An Incomplete Manifesto For Growth – Bruce Mau

Requirements for study 

To study Art at A level you require an A grade at GCSE or DT.

What are the benefits of studying Art A Level?

‘’England has an excellent reputation on the international stage for its creative output. It can be argued that our influence on literature, design, cinema, museums, the visual arts, music and the presentation of our heritage assets internationally is disproportionately large for a country of our relatively small size. These are also areas in which we have traditionally been admired from abroad for our achievements in the related education sector.’’

 A quote from an independent review by Darren Henley for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Education highlighted the importance of Creativity in education. 2011.

We live in a highly visual world - The Internet, TV and films are a big part of our lives. Studying Art + Design helps you to understand and appreciate this world. Working to design briefs, understanding how to research, investigate and develop your own ideas are core skills you will develop as a designer, architect or artist. These skills are invaluable and transferable to many careers, many businesses and life in general.   In addition to encouraging students’ interest in art, the Art department strongly values the imaginative cross-fertilisation of ideas from students’ other academic interests; their intellectual curiosity in other subjects can become a resource for their artistic enquiry.  Students are encouraged to make connections between their personal, cultural and academic experiences.  We are very proud of successful links to ‘the role of imagination in science’ for example, or becoming interested in specific technological or scientific processes deployed in the service of art. 

Course Content

The unendorsed Edexcel route at A level enables students to explore a range of two- or three-dimensional approaches to their studies, either as freestanding or related experiences.

Work produced demonstrates the use of formal elements and creative skills, and give visual form to thinking, feeling, observation, design and ideas. Students will show evidence of trying to extend their own and others’ ways of seeing the world. Students will use the visual language of the discipline sensitively and thoughtfully to support their intentions.

The girls are encouraged to avail of the extra curricular opportunities on offer: weekly life drawing lessons, twilight photography club and the Fine Art Society.

AS Art and Design

Unit 1 = Coursework =60%

Unit 2 = Externally Set Assignment = 40%

A2 Art and Design

Practical and analytical work with a 3,000 word essay.

Unit 3=Coursework =60%

Unit 4 =Externally Set Assignment=40%

 What our students say 

‘To complete a piece of work that satisfies my standards of excellence is more important than my grade.’

‘I find art really therapeutic and I become completely absorbed in what I’m doing in a way I don't in any other subject."

’‘Through art, I have been able to develop and express my own ideas effectively which has greatly increased my confidence. I love being able to explore my ideas through such a broad range of techniques and processes.’

Please click here for the Art reading list