The two-year A’ Level Art and Design syllabus fully prepares students for undergraduate study in many of the diverse disciplines of Art and Design. Students study Art and Design practice, reflecting on the experiences, contexts and work of other artists and craftsmen through four different Assessment Objectives:  

• AO1 - Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual 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 realising intentions and, where appropriate, making connections between visual and other elements. 

In the first term of the course, students build on prior skills and experiment with a variety of media, materials, processes and techniques designed to broaden the possibilities of future work including conceptional work. Students will then build on this knowledge and understanding, working towards independent projects supported by critical and analytical research. 

Students are required to produce sketchbooks/study sheets supporting their ideas and leading to the development of independent art work.  At the end of term two, year 12 students have the opportunity to exhibit work at a borough wide public exhibition, as well as attending summer schools run by Chelsea school of art, the Courtauld gallery and other London institutions. 

In term 3 students identify an area of interest to study at greater depth leading to a final project for their portfolio. This rigorous and challenging project takes the students approximately a year and half to complete and is accompanied by research and a critical essay.  

At the end of the course students undertake a short project set by the exam board and present selected art work for exhibition and internal assessment and external moderation. The coursework element constitutes 60% of the final grade. The practical exam constitutes 40% of the final grade. 

Many of our students go on to successfully study fine art, fashion, interior design and architecture at degree level at many of the countries most respected Art schools.