Art – Years 10 to 11

Introduction and Overview

  • Art and Design stimulates creativity and imagination.  It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of responding to the world
  • Students use colour, form, texture, pattern and a variety of materials and techniques.  Drawing is a strong element of both KS3 and KS4 courses
  • Students explore the work of artists, craftspeople and designers and learn about craft and design in different times and cultures.  Our Key stage 4 course leads naturally on to AS / A2 Level and foundation courses.
  • Key stage 4 Course
  • OCR Syllabus J170 (Portfolio 60%), Externally Set Task (40%)
    The Portfolio consists of a project, theme or course of study.  It may be presented in appropriate formats for the specification title and areas of study chosen.  For example, sketchbooks, digital presentations, mounted sheets, maquettes or illustrated written work
  • Portfolio – ‘Cultural Identity’

What’s it worth?   1  GCSE

Why do it? Our aim is for every student to:

  • Enjoy Art & Design
  • Make excellent progress in Art & Design
  • Learn traditional skills and skills for life

 What will you do?

  • Art GCSE is a qualification which will demonstrate your ability to be creative, able to plan, design and communicate visually. 
  • It will benefit you if you are considering a career where visual skill is necessary.(e.g. illustration, graphics, architecture, hairdressing, fashion / textile design, publishing, interior design, theatre design, photography, etc.) 
  • It could also lead naturally on to AS & A2 level Art and beyond that to an Art Foundation course and an Art Degree. You will follow a broad-based course combining two or more of the following areas of study:  fine art (including painting, printmaking, 3D work), textiles, ceramics and glass ware, digital photography and graphic design.
  • You will be given the opportunity to study and learn from the work of other artists, craftspeople and designers.
  • From Year 10 you will produce a portfolio of work (60% controlled assessment) and in Year 11 develop your own unit of work based around a theme for the final exam (40%).

Themes for ‘controlled assessment’ could include:

Body Decoration                  Landscape and Printmaking               Still Life                      Portraiture

Indonesian Batik                  Natural Forms                                      Human Form             Cultural Identity

What do you need?

Enthusiasm, creativity and determination

Drawing from observation is an important element of the course, and will be included in all areas of study.  You will be encouraged to show your understanding of composition, perspective, colour line, tone, etc. You will also be asked to investigate and experiment with a variety of different media in the production of Art work.

Other opportunities may include:

  • A visit London on the ‘Arts Trip’ (taking in galleries, theatres, Covent Garden and more!)
  • Visits to other local and national galleries / exhibitions.
  • Taking part in workshops with visiting artists / craftspeople.
  • Exhibiting your work at the ‘Church Stretton Arts Festival’.
  •  Extending your skills / techniques in ‘after-school’ workshops

Subject                 Exam Board                        Internal                                                                Exam Paper

 Art                                OCR                             60% Controlled Assessment                              40% Terminal Exam

                                                                                                                                                     6 weeks preparation

                                                                                                                                                     Total 10 hours    

For further details see:  Mrs Fletcher-Tyrie or Mr M Norman

Year 10

  • Body adornment and decoration from a variety of cultures
  • Batik using traditional Indonesian methods
  • Portraiture (large scale): own photography, acrylic and oil
  • Collographic and Intaglio printmaking
  • Exploration of a range of artists and craftspeople: Including Lucian Freud, Gustav Klimt, Kathe Kollwitz

Year 11

  • Portfolio work continued: ‘Cultural Identity’.
  • Stoneware clay and slab building
  • Glass slumping
  • Mock Exam: Personal choice
  • Externally Set Task: The paper will give students a choice of five themes, each with a choice of written and/or visual starting points or stimuli.  From this paper, students are expected to choose one option for which they will generate an appropriate personal response of one or more artefacts/products/personal outcomes within a 10-hour supervised time period.

Extra Curricular

  • London Arts Trip (Residential – 2 day) – Visiting: Tate Modern, river boat trip, London Eye, backstage tour of the National Theatre, west end show, National Gallery, Covent Garden. 
  • Art Club – All years
  • After school workshops
  • Church Stretton Arts Festival
  • Gallery visits.

How to support your child

We are sure that you already do many of these things to support your child but here is a useful reminder for you to refer to:

  • Encourage wider reading of artists and craftspeople
  • Ask them what they have learnt today
  • Help them to structure homework tasks for Mock Exam and Externally Set Task.
  • Check deadlines for portfolio work.
  • Encourage the practise of drawing skills.
  • Provide a range of drawing pencils (B or darker).

Web Links

Additional Reading

  • The Art Book – Phaidon
  • Lucian Freud (The painter’s etchings) – Starr Figura
  • Klimt – Gottfried Fliedl