Choose GCSE Art & Design or GCSE Photography! - Secondary - Eastbrook School (2024)

FAQs

Is GCSE photography worth it? ›

It encourages the exploration of photography as an artistic medium. It combines well with more traditional subjects, providing an outlet for creativity. Studying photography can open the door to lots of exciting careers in the creative industry: the fastest growing sector of the UK economy!

Studying art and design provides the opportunity to acquire new skills. As well as knowledge of different art forms, media and techniques you can also gain specialist skills in areas such as photography and digital technologies.

GCSE (9-1) reform

GCSEs are offered across Levels 1 and 2 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and they are primarily targeted at secondary school pupils, but are also suitable for adult returners.

Art is demanding, requires hard work and sometimes the teachers base the marks on the quantity and not the quality of your work. If you are willing to put in at least 4-6 hours of Artwork a week, I'd say you can get a pretty decent grade.

If you enjoy being creative, want to increase your practical skills and improve your analytical, communication and research abilities, art and design is a great choice. The skills you gain make it a great complement to other subjects. Art and design is a way of seeing things and making sense of the world around you.

In the course, students explore the world through a camera lens, mastering technical skills like camera settings, composition, and lighting. You create visual stories, experiment with various genres, and refine your creative voice.

Careers where Art and Design is important include Interior, 3D, Product and Graphic Design, Animation, Architecture, Children's Book Illustration, Textiles & Fashion Design, Gallery Education, Art Therapy, Set or Costume Design.

Graphic design students make art that is commercial (to advertise or inform), whereas fine art students often make art for personal expression.

Graduates with an art and design degree can go on to work in a wide range of industries including advertising, architecture, fashion, film, gaming, graphic design, interior design, graphic design, product development, web design, entertainment, journalism, marketing, photography, publishing, web design, and much more.

What GCSEs are. GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. They are highly valued by schools, colleges and employers. The qualification mainly involves studying the theory of a subject, together with some investigative work, while some subjects also involve practical work.

What is GCSE art mean? ›

What is GCSE Art all about? It's about having an adventurous and enquiring approach to art and design and developing the skills to express it. You will have the choice to develop an understanding of past or contemporary art and design and be able to produce a personal response embracing a range of ideas.

Externally set assessment - AQAThe ten-hour supervised time. There is no written exam for GCSE Art & Design – instead there is a portfolio and an externally set assignment.

The exam is 10 hours long (2 days) and during this time you must complete your final piece, in 'controlled conditions'. The question paper consists of approximately 7 'questions', each of which are themed starting points for a project. Every question will contain named artists to help you get started.

Photography can be a useful addition to a student's portfolio of qualifications and can also help to secure admission to Art College or university. lthough there is no formal requirement to have studied Photography before embarking on a GCSE course, it helps to have an interest in the subject.

- 60% of your GCSE mark is coursework and 40% is your exam mark. Refine work by exploring ideas and selecting and experimenting with appropriate techniques.

Becoming a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) can provide a tremendous boost to your professional photography business. It can improve your photography skills, lets potential clients know you're fully qualified, and can help you be a successful photographer.

You will have approximately 10-11 weeks to produce all your preparatory work, followed by a ten hour practical exam – over two days – to complete your final prints. Your exam project will account for 40% of your final GCSE grade.