Art and Design (Photography)

Assessment

Work is assessed throughout both years through differing methods both formally and informally by experienced subject teachers. Students are primarily guided by feedback via personalized verbal one to one’s, these frequent discussions are supported by digitally written notes. Each mini project in first year is formatively assessed with progress recorded on the college review data system. Second-year work is monitored and assessed regularly with feedback recorded in various forms. Assessment is directed by the Examination Board (AQA) assessment objectives: ‘Develop’, ‘Explore’, ‘Record’ and ‘Present’. Each assessment objective is equally weighted, projects are marked out of 96. The second-year coursework is worth 60%, the Externally set Assignment is therefore 40% of their overall A-level mark. Work produced in the ‘controlled conditions’ is marked alongside the preparatory work and not assessed separately. Departmental cross-moderation is conducted, this is combined in the second year to include internal standardization with the broader art department, an AQA representative visits the college to externally moderate work to ensure national standards are upheld.