Regulation

GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for art and design (2022)

Published 11 November 2021

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering reformed A levels and AS qualifications in 2022.

We have developed all our requirements for GCE qualifications with the intention that AS and A level qualifications should fulfil the purposes set out below.

For A levels:

• define and assess achievement of the knowledge, skills and understanding which will be needed by students planning to progress to undergraduate study at a UK higher education establishment, particularly (although not only) in the same subject area
• set out a robust and internationally comparable post-16 academic course of study to develop that knowledge, skills and understanding
• permit UK universities to accurately identify the level of attainment of students
• provide a basis for school and college accountability measures at age 18
• provide a benchmark of academic ability for employers

For AS qualifications:

• provide evidence of students’ achievements in a robust and internationally comparable post-16 course of study that is a sub-set of A level content
• enable students to broaden the range of subjects they study

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCE Subject Level Conditions for Art and Design (2022). These conditions will come into effect at 09:30 on 12 November 2021 for the following qualifications:

• all GCE A levels in Art and Design
• all standalone GCE AS qualifications in Art and Design

for Learners completing the qualification in 2022, except where the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework applies.

It also sets out:

• the assessment objectives for GCE Art and Design – awarding organisations must comply with these assessment objectives under Condition GCE(Art and Design)1.2
• requirements in relation to non-examination assessment for GCE A levels in Art and Design – awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Art and Design)2.4

With respect to the qualifications listed above in 2022, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications
• our GCE Qualification Level Conditions
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

With respect to all other GCE qualifications in Art and Design taken by Learners completing the qualification in 2023 and after, an awarding organisation must continue to comply with the GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Art and Design.

Subject Level Conditions

GCE Subject Level Conditions for Art and Design

Condition GCE(Art and Design) 1: Compliance with content requirements

GCE(Art and Design)1.1

In respect of each GCE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must –

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘GCE AS and A Level subject content for art and design’, DFE-00357-2014,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCE(Art and Design)1.2

In respect of each GCE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCE(Art and Design) 2: Assessment

GCE(Art and Design)2.1

Condition GCE4.1 does not apply to any GCE Qualification in Art and Design which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

GCE(Art and Design)2.2

An awarding organisation must ensure that no assessment for a GCE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available is an Assessment by Examination.

GCE(Art and Design)2.3

An awarding organisation must ensure that all of the marks available for a GCE Art and Design qualification which it makes available are made available through tasks set by a Centre.

GCE(Art and Design)2.4

An awarding organisation must ensure that each assessment for a GCE Art and Design qualification which it makes available which is not an Assessment by Examination complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives – GCE AS and A level qualifications in Art and Design

Condition GCE(Art and Design)1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for GCE qualifications in Art and Design.

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Art and Design)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCE AS and A level qualifications in Art and Design they make available.

Assessment objective	Description	A level weighting	AS weighting
AO1	Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding	20 to 30%	20 to 30%
AO2	Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops	20 to 30%	20 to 30%
AO3	Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress	20 to 30%	20 to 30%
AO4	Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements	20 to 30%	20 to 30%

Non-examination assessment

Requirements in relation to non-examination assessment for GCE A levels in Art and Design

Condition GCE (Art and Design)2.4 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to non-examination assessments for GCE Qualifications in Art and Design.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Art and Design)1.2 below. We have chosen to specify requirements in relation to GCE A levels in Art and Design only; we have not specified any requirements for GCE AS qualifications in Art and Design.

Awarding organisations must comply with the following requirements in relation to all GCE A level qualifications in Art and Design they make available.

An awarding organisation must ensure that its assessments for a GCE A level qualification in Art and Design include a ‘personal investigation’ to be completed by every Learner taking that qualification.

The personal investigation must comprise part of the tasks set by a Centre under Condition GCE(Art and Design)2.3.

The personal investigation must include a written element which takes the form of an extended response, within the meaning of Condition GCE5.4, and which is independently produced by a Learner.