A Level Art
All students will normally study the full A Level over 2 years.
Exam Board: EDUQAS
At A level all students follow a EDUQAS Fine Art based course. Click here to see the EDUQAS specification.
A Level Fine Art
Component 1: Personal Investigation
No time limit
Personal Investigation: 96 marks
Weighting: 60% of total A level marks
This is a practical investigation supported by written material.
Areas of study
Students are required to work in one or more areas of fine art:
-Drawing & painting
-Mixed media
-Sculpture
-Ceramics
-Installation
-Printmaking
-Moving image & photography
Each student must include in their portfolio:
-A selection of work that demonstrates the breadth and depth of the fine art course
-One project based on an idea, concept, theme or issue demonstrating the student’s ability to sustain work from an initial starting point to a realisation. It should include evidence of their ability to research and develop ideas & link their work in a meaningful way to relevant critical/contextual materials.
Students are required to conduct a practical investigation supported by written material. The focus of the investigation must be identified independently by the student and lead to a finished outcome.
The investigation must show evidence of the student’s ability to research & develop ideas & relate their work to relevant critical/contextual materials.
The investigation must be informed by an aspect of contemporary or past practice of artists.
The written material must:
-be a response of between 1000 and 3000 words using a specialist vocabulary.
-include a bibliography
-show accurate use of spelling, punctuation & grammar
Students can present the written material as a single passage of continuous prose or as a series of shorter passages incorporated within the practical work.
A Level Art – Component 2: Externally set assignment
Preparation period + 15 hours supervised time
Externally set assignment: 96 marks
Weighting: 40% of total A level marks
Separate question papers will be provided for each title. These will consist of a choice of  questions to be used as starting points. Students are required to select one. Students will be given their exam papers on 1st February, or as soon as possible after that date. After receiving the paper, students should select one starting point. Prep work should be presented in any suitable format eg mounted sheets, sketchbooks etc.
Supervised time – 15 hours
Following the prep period, students must complete 15 hours of unaided, supervised time.
The first 3 hours of supervised time must be consecutive.
In the 15 hours students must produce a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes informed by their prep work.
Students must stop work on their prep work as soon as the first period of supervised time starts and must submit all preparatory studies before the exam.
Students may refer to their prep work in the supervised time, but it must not be added to or amended.
An A level Fine Art qualification could lead to a career in: art therapy, community arts work, fashion design, fine art, graphic design, printmaking, illustration etc.
