Art and Design

Why study this subject?

We live in a visually saturated world; the creative industries are booming. Art is the perfect subject to study to develop your creative thinking skills, individuality and technique. A level lesson emphasis is on the ability to think laterally and to convey ideas to aid your progression in any career. Art & design at St Dunstan’s prepares you to think and act as an individual, to have clear and thoughtful research, to write and make creatively, and to use a huge array of practical technical skills, all of which make you a flexible and creative problem-solver. At St Dunstan’s, we prioritise students becoming their own artist. We aim to facilitate student choice and freedom to experiment and try new techniques. Our strength lies within contemporary, conceptually engaging socially aware art.

Course Overview

There are two components that make up the course, each with standalone process work and final outcomes; Component 1: Personal Study,

Component 2: Externally Set Exam.

Within the personal investigation, students work through a series of technique workshops that help them develop different skills and visual language in preparation for their individually chosen Personal Study investigation. The investigation and development of the Personal Study will be shown through practical studies and a supporting essay. Students will have opportunities to generate practical work, ideas and research from primary, secondary and contextual sources. They will experiment with media and processes, and develop and refi ne their ideas, presenting personal and exciting outcomes.

Entry Requirements

Grade 7 or above in art and design (I)GCSE, or a suitable portfolio of similar standard artwork undertaken over time that meets department approval if art (I)GCSE was not taken.