AS COURSE OVERVIEW

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MR S GREEN

Course Content and Assessment

Students will have the opportunity to develop their own style of work through a well-balanced and varied course of study.

All students will experience a range of materials including painting (both in acrylics and oils), drawing, printmaking (linoleum, drypoint and silkscreen) and sculpture (clay, plaster and stone carving and construction). The keeping of a visual diary/sketchbook will be paramount in the development of ideas and the growing awareness and understanding of the History of Art – a special emphasis being on 20th Century Art movements, and contemporary Arts practice.

A variety of starting points such as still life, the figure and the local environment will be an important element of the course in Year 12 and observational work will feature within these. Life drawing evening classes will be available to supplement the ‘A’ level course.

An example of a project could be the development of some life drawings into photographic compositions taken then into life-size plaster figures or into abstract silkscreen designs. These may then be developed with the knowledge of the Cubist artists into reduction linoprints or large scale abstract oil paintings. This imaginative development of projects will be an integral part of the course.

There will be gallery visits organised as well as two foreign field trips, one to Paris and another to Holland or Barcelona, alternating each February. The course will consist of ongoing assessments at the end of each module and student evaluations and critiques will be integrated into the course.

Private study will feature as an important component to the course in developing both the observational and research skills of the student.

The AS course in Year 12 is broken down into three areas, and for each of these termly blocks there will be an assessment by staff.

Coursework Assignments - AS 60% - developing the studentsown way of working

Externally Set Assignment - AS 40% - representing the culmination of the AS course [ A2 20% ]

Students may then wish to continue their Art education into Year 13 on an A2 course, this is broken down into two units.

• Coursework Assignments [ A2 60% ]
  Including 'Personal Study' componant

• Externally Set Assignment [ A2 20% ]
  Representing the culmination of their A2 course

Entry Requirements

Students interested in embarking upon this course should be committed and well-disciplined individuals keen to develop their individuality and skills as young artists. We would welcome students with a minimum of a Grade C at GCSE.