This A-Level is a two year qualification. This linear course will enable students to develop their photographic skills and record images in a variety of ways. Students will explore the context of historical and contemporary photography, analysing and writing their ideas in a way that demonstrates their critical. Creative development through use of digital processes and drawing for purpose will generate a wide variety of visual outcomes. These skills are linked to industry based practices such as Moving Image, Animation, Games Illustration, Graphic Design including Magazine Layouts and Branding. Students will be expected to present personal and reflective work developed from a wide range of research.
This course offers varied creative opportunities and a foundation in critical thinking, which give students a strong basis for entry into most higher education courses. Specifically it can feed into courses in Media and Television, Graphic Design, Illustration, Journalism, Fashion, Animation, as well as Medical or Forensic Photography. We enable students to develop skills in the industry standard Adobe Photoshop inclusive of Animation, GIFs and Surface Pattern Design.
We encourage and support independent gallery visits to explore contemporary practice which extends student experience and develops their ability to be independent and confident critical thinkers.
• 5 GCSEs 9 – 5 including Art.
• Students without Art qualifications will be considered on the merits of an application portfolio.
• Successful students will need to use their initiative and passion for the subject to complete work in their own time.
• A commitment to work on location; taking photographs in a variety of places beyond school, on a weekly basis.
• Initial Skills Programme Students will be taught a range of practical and critical skills required to be successful in this course, through a modelling project.
• Personal Investigation Students will be expected to develop their own individual project and research around an individually chosen theme, demonstrating and developing the skills gained from the modelling project.
• Personal Investigation Continued from the Lower Sixth year, this is a development of the personal investigation to completion. This component is worth 60% of the qualification. The work will demonstrate significant research and visual experimentation, culminating in presentation of a final series of work. Practical work will be accompanied by further research, critical essays, and an artist statement.
• Coursework Portfolio
Students will develop and select their coursework portfolio from their existing work to be presented for assessment by the end of January of year 2
• Externally Set Assignment
This component is worth 40% of the qualification. This assignment will be set by EDUQAS and carried out between February and April of Year 2. Students will choose a project to develop from a range of themes. There will be a preparation period to explore ideas, following the coursework model, before a fifteen hour timed exam to produce final outcomes.
The Examination Board for this course is EDUQAS.
