GCSE Art, Craft and Design
Course overview
Art, Craft and Design is a broad and flexible course which offers an in-depth introduction to the visual arts. Pupils explore a wide range of disciplines including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, photography and digital processes.
Pupils investigate artists, craftspeople and designers from different cultures, times and societies and learn how the formal elements can be used to communicate ideas and meaning.
Course content
GCSE Art gives pupils the opportunity to:
- Explore contemporary and historical art, craft and design.
- Experiment with a wide range of materials and processes.
- Develop ideas through observation, research and their own photography.
- Select, develop and refine their strongest work.
- Develop an increasingly personal and independent creative direction.
- Prepare for further study at A level and within the creative industries.
Exam board and Exam structure
| Component | Content | Marks/weighting | Exam board |
| Component 1: Portfolio | Year 10 and 11. Students develop a sustained portfolio showing a personal response to a centre-set starting point | 75 marks - 60% | Edexcel |
| Component 2: Externally Set Assignment | Yer 11. Students respond to a theme set by the exam board and develop preparatory work leading to a final outcome produced during a 10 hour supervised period | 75 marks - 40% | Edexcel |
What students learn
Year 10
Pupils begin Component 1 through Found & Familiar – People, Places, Things. They build observational drawing and recording skills using their own imagery before developing work through artists, materials and processes.
As the year progresses, pupils develop their work through Decay / Distort / Consume, using research, experimentation and refinement to create increasingly personal responses.
Year 11
Pupils return to Component 1 to review, develop and refine their coursework before completing a sustained final response. They then begin Component 2, responding independently to the Externally Set Assignment.
How learning and progress are checked
Progress is checked through sketchbook and portfolio reviews, practical work, project development and sustained outcomes. Pupils receive regular feedback to help them strengthen work across the four GCSE Assessment Objectives.
Homework and Independent study
Homework supports portfolio development and may include drawing, photography, artist research, experimentation, annotation and refinement.
How parents and carers can support
Parents and carers can support pupils by encouraging regular creative practice, helping them stay organised with sketchbooks and deadlines, supporting gallery visits and encouraging attendance at intervention or catch-up sessions where needed.
Support, stretch and enrichment
Teaching is structured through clear demonstrations, scaffolded resources and targeted feedback. More confident pupils are encouraged to take creative risks, work with greater independence and develop ambitious personal outcomes.
Pupils can also access open studio sessions, intervention, gallery visits, exhibitions and other enrichment opportunities including the end of year exhibition.