KS4 GCSE

Art: Fine Art

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Course ID
Edexcel 1FA01
Faculty
Expressive Arts
Department
Art
Level
GCSE
Head of Faculty
K. Eustace
Head of Department
M. Clemmett
KS4 GCSE Art: Fine Art

Course Overview

Studying Fine Art at GCSE offers students a rewarding opportunity to develop their creativity, visual awareness and practical artistic skills. The course encourages students to explore their own ideas while building confidence in expressing themselves through a variety of artistic techniques and materials. 

Building on the foundations established at Key Stage 3, students develop their ability to observe, experiment and refine their work while deepening their understanding of artistic processes and visual language. Throughout the course, students explore a range of art disciplines including drawing, painting, design work, mixed media, ceramics, three-dimensional work and printmaking, alongside studying the work of a variety of artists to inspire and inform their own practice. 

During Year 10, students undertake several projects designed to develop and strengthen their technical skills and creative thinking. Sketchbooks play an important role in the course, allowing students to record ideas, experiment with materials and reflect on their progress. Regular homework supports this process and forms an integral part of developing a personal and thoughtful approach to art. 

In Year 11, students build on the knowledge and skills developed in Year 10 to produce more independent and personal work. They are encouraged to select the media, techniques and themes that best suit their ideas, allowing them to create a final body of work that demonstrates their creativity, technical ability and artistic understanding. 

Course Description

Year 10

Term Unit of Work Assessment
Autumn 1 Natural Forms: 
Edward Weston inspired photography and drawing; Georgia O’Keffe inspired modernist painting 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Autumn 2 Natural Forms: 
Andy Goldsworthy inspired mixed media and printing 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix
Spring 1 Natural Forms: 
Angela Faustina inspired contemporary painting; Karl Blossfeldt inspired drawing and mono printing 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Spring 2 Natural Forms 3D:
Choice of a selection of contemporary artists to inspire claywork 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Summer 1 ‘Transformation’:
Responding to a selection of classic and contemporary artists 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Summer 2 ‘Transformation’:
Responding to a selection of classic and contemporary artists 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 

Year 11

Term Unit of Work Assessment
Autumn 1 ‘Transformation’ cont.:
Experimenting with materials and processes 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Autumn 2 ‘Transformation’ cont.:
Y
ear 11 Mock exam planning and preparation 
KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix.  
Spring 1 Exam Project – theme released by exam board (Edexcel) in January.  KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Spring 2 Exam project.  KS4 Assessment and Feedback Matrix based on the Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Summer 1 Exam project and 10 hour timed final piece.  Edexcel GCSE Art Marking Matrix. 
Summer 2 GCSE Examination.  GCSE Examination. 

Extended Learning

Year 10

Websites Read Visit or Watch Extra
The National Gallery; Tate; National Portrait Gallery; Art Fund.  Artist’s Painting Techniques (Hashim Akib); 200 Projects To Get You Into Art School (Valerie Colston); Fifty Years of Illustration (Lawrence Zeegen); Contemporary Ceramic Artisans (A. Creswell-Bell & K. Brymer-Jones); How To Paint (Angela Gair); The Art Book.  BBC iPlayer: Arts Section.  GCSE Art Club, Art Leadership. 

 

Year 11

Websites Read Visit or Watch Extra
The National Gallery; Tate; National Portrait Gallery; Art Fund.  Artist’s Painting Techniques (Hashim Akib); 200 Projects To Get You Into Art School (Valerie Colston); Fifty Years of Illustration (Lawrence Zeegen); Contemporary Ceramic Artisans (A. Creswell-Bell & K. Brymer-Jones); How To Paint (Angela Gair); The Art 
Book. 
BBC iPlayer: Arts Section.  GCSE Art Club, Art Leadership.  

 

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