The Perse School Cambridge

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• Why Art?
• AS level
• A2 level
• Activities
• Exam results
• Reading

We follow the OCR syllabus.

The AS course has two units and is both a ‘stand-alone’ qualification and also the first half of the corresponding Advanced GCE

1. Coursework portfolio F411 ( 60% of the AS mark)
2. Controlled assignment F421 ( 40% of the AS mark)

Unit 1 Coursework Portfolio F411 (September – January)

At AS level each class is taught by two teachers who will focus different specialist areas such as painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, digital media and textiles. The emphasis of this course is breadth of study and students are encouraged to develop their own ideas and style whilst extending their knowledge of art and artists. They will improve their practical skills by investigating the process artists go through to develop and create their work. Students develop their ideas around one broad theme throughout the coursework portfolio. Examples of previous starting points have been Adornment, Close Up, The Human Form, Identity, Surface, Body and Twisted and Turning. Techniques taught are aimed at developing skills such as oil painting, life drawing, etching, silkscreen, photography (both digital and wet) and various 3D techniques. Students will begin to identify where their strengths in visual communication are.

Unit 2 Controlled Assignment F421 (5 hours) 1st February – for 6 weeks.

Students are given an early release exam paper with around 15 starting points. After choosing one starting point students will then work independently for six weeks, developing, experimenting and refining their ideas under the advice of their teachers. At the end of this period they will undertake a five hour exam where students will make their planned artwork.

Homework and assessment

At AS students are required to complete 4 hours of homework each week and at A2 students complete 5 hours. This will include written research, practical work, reading and visiting galleries. Homework is marked on a weekly basis with both written feedback and grades. Students write homework into a record sheet in their sketchbooks and their teachers provide feedback directly on to this record sheet. Verbal feedback may be on a one to one basis or as part of a group critique.