The study of art and design helps the student engage more deeply with the world around them and opens them up to new ways of seeing. The visual-spatial skills which are encouraged are becoming increasingly essential in today’s technological world. Pupils work closely with a variety of media, materials and techniques, traditional and new technologies. These problem-solving exercises not only help develop higher-order thinking skills such as critical, reflective and imaginative thinking but also increase awareness of different roles, functions, audiences and consumers of art and design practice. Students embarking on an AS course do not need prior knowledge of the subject, but we have found that having followed a GCSE course, students understand the depth of research required to produce a unit of work and the confidence to develop ideas and skills independently. Potential career opportunities include Architecture/ Landscape Architecture; Product/Graphic/Set/ Fashion/Textile/Landscape/Car Design; Fine Art Practice; Museum Director/Curatorship; Fine Art Restoration; Art History; and Engineering. At AS and A Level, we favour the unendorsed and Fine Art options which offer flexible and wide-ranging schemes. The two units undertaken at AS Level form 50% of the marks of the full A Level and can be taken independently. If students wish to take the full A Level then they must undertake two more units. The emphasis in the AS year is on the student’s development of ideas through sustained investigation and their exploration of a range of ideas, skills and materials.
About Education Provider
| Region | North East |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Ofsted Rating | |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | Day £18,180; Boarding £32,700 - £35,010 |
| Sixth Form Fee | Unknown |
| Address | Newgate, Barnard Castle, DL12 8UN |
The study of art and design helps the student engage more deeply with the world around them and opens them up to new ways of seeing. The visual-spatial skills which are encouraged are becoming increasingly essential in today’s technological world. Pupils work closely with a variety of media, materials and techniques, traditional and new technologies. These problem-solving exercises not only help develop higher-order thinking skills such as critical, reflective and imaginative thinking but also increase awareness of different roles, functions, audiences and consumers of art and design practice. Students embarking on an AS course do not need prior knowledge of the subject, but we have found that having followed a GCSE course, students understand the depth of research required to produce a unit of work and the confidence to develop ideas and skills independently. Potential career opportunities include Architecture/ Landscape Architecture; Product/Graphic/Set/ Fashion/Textile/Landscape/Car Design; Fine Art Practice; Museum Director/Curatorship; Fine Art Restoration; Art History; and Engineering. At AS and A Level, we favour the unendorsed and Fine Art options which offer flexible and wide-ranging schemes. The two units undertaken at AS Level form 50% of the marks of the full A Level and can be taken independently. If students wish to take the full A Level then they must undertake two more units. The emphasis in the AS year is on the student’s development of ideas through sustained investigation and their exploration of a range of ideas, skills and materials.