Art
Exam board: OCR
Qualification type: GCSE
Course code: J171
Contact: Mr Oprych – aoprych@retfordoaks-ac.org.uk
This GCSE is designed to bring art and design to life and to help you develop your artistic skills and expand your creativity, imagination and independence. What’s more, the possibilities for personal expression are endless. You will also be required to analyse artists and write about your interest around the subject matter to inform your work. The course is good preparation for progression onto A Level in art and design, fine art or a suitable college or vocational course. We want this to be an inspiring GCSE that will encourage you to consider a wide range of approaches to expressing yourself through different materials, media and techniques. It will help you gain knowledge and understanding of the art, craft, design, media and technologies of today and in the past, as well as in different societies and cultures. You will experience different work practices and look at relevant processes and equipment too.
Why study fine art?
Students who decide to pursue art at key stage 4 will be provided with the unique opportunity to work in a wide variety of media and create a range of work in two or three dimensions. They will learn new techniques and have the freedom to select their own inspiration and creative journey. In addition to lesson time where staff will guide them through the development of their skills and ideas, students will also be expected to work independently. They will be asked to focus their efforts on creating interesting and exciting personal responses, which have materialised from an observational starting point. This is a fantastic choice for students wishing to pursue any career which requires creativity, confidence in expressing ideas and opinions, or problem-solving.
What will be studied?
Portfolio – 60% (120 marks)
For this unit a candidate needs to produce a portfolio of work showing their personal response to either a starting point, brief, scenario, or stimulus devised and provided by the centre.
Set task – 40% (80 marks)
An early release paper will provide candidates with a range of written and visual starting points, briefs, scenarios and stimuli, from which students must formulate a personal response.
Assessment structure
The early release paper for the set task is issued to candidates on or after 1 January. There is an unlimited preparatory period. This unit is internally assessed and externally moderated by OCR
