Art, Drama, Music and Design Subjects

Art and Design

Art and Design is an excellent creative pathway to a wide range of practical and academic subjects at degree level. Many of our students progress to a one year Foundation Diploma course and then on to creative degree courses and careers. Others, use the experience of Art & Design to provide a creative balance to their other subjects.

Entry Requirements: At least a Grade 6 in Art GCSE with a grade 5 in English Language GCSE. If you have not completed a GCSE in Art you may be able to provide alternative evidence of your aptitude and enthusiasm for the subject.

Qualities and skills required: You should have experience of using art materials and processes together with some knowledge of contemporary and historical art and design. You should have a commitment to and love of the subject and feel motivated to develop your visual skills and express your ideas in working through assignments. If you have not completed a GCSE course in Art but are committed to a future in art and design, we may consider offering you a place. You would attend an interview with the Head of Department where you would need to show evidence in the form of a portfolio of work that demonstrates your genuine interest in the subject.

Music

A Level Music is a challenging but rewarding course designed to develop your knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of music by embracing both classical and popular genres and by studying individual pieces in significant detail. Working individually but also in groups, students of music will need to achieve mastery in a wide range of areas: composition, rehearsal, music technology, musical analysis and performance. Successful students have gone on to specialist music colleges as well as to mainstream universities and directly into the music industry.

Entry requirements: At least a Grade 6 in GCSE Music with Grade 5+ at an instrument or voice. Grade 4+ theory skills should be evident.

Qualities and skills required: You will need to be highly motivated and disciplined, able to work in an creative environment that demands the highest standards.

A Level Music will appeal to students who are:

• interested in extending their appreciation of music;
• musically creative, dedicated and ambitious;
• love performing and good at communicating;
• can work on their own but are also happy to work collaboratively with others.

Music Technology

If you want to improve your understanding of setting up a sound system and a recording studio, if you have an interest in editing and mixing multi-track recordings, and if you wish to improve your production skills and understanding, then Music Technology could be the course for you. This A Level offers students the opportunity to develop their practical and theoretical knowledge of sequencing, editing, multi-track recording, mixing and composing. We use industry standard software, providing an excellent grounding for those who want to pursue music production as a career or a university choice. The course will certainly provide aspiring musicians, producers, arrangers and composers with the skills they require at the start of their career.

Entry requirements: Grade 5 or above in GCSE Music or Merit or above in BTEC Music.

Qualities and skills required: Together with musicality and enthusiasm it is essential that students are able to manage the practical elements of achieving the qualification. You need to be self-motivated, organised and able to meet deadlines as well as willing to give over a considerable amount of your free time to the demands of the course.

Photography

Photography is connected to every facet of daily life, including television, film, journalism, art, politics, history and music. Exploring the ideas, history, contexts and techniques of visual representation, as well as helping you develop the practical skills you need in modern photography – taking photographs and manipulating these images -will provide a valuable training for those who wish to pursue a future in art or the media.

Entry requirements: At least a Grade 6 in Art and Grade 4 in English Language. If you have not taken GCSE Art a portfolio of your work should be submitted for consideration.

Qualities and skills required: As it involves a significant amount of practical work it is critical that photography students are able to work to a brief, and deliver to deadline. This requires maturity and organisational skills, as well as creative flair. During the course you will develop critical skills and acquire knowledge of other photographers, artists and designers.

Fashion and Textiles

Textiles and Fashion is a subject which allows you to pursue your own creative design ideas within a series of structured projects. You will have the opportunity to design and make a range of different textiles fashion products, working to a brief, researching consumer preferences and fashion marketing and analysing existing products. During the course you will produce a wide range of samples and prototypes, and are encouraged to specialise in the area of fashion and textiles that you are most interested in.

Entry requirements: At least a Grade 5 in Textiles GCSE. If you have not completed a GCSE in Textiles, an Art or another Design Technology GCSE can be substituted following a successful interview.

Qualities and skills required: 50% of the final grade is determined by coursework and creative outcomes so you must be able to work to schedule and meet the required deadlines. Together with developing your design and making mastery, you will develop skills in Computer Aided Design, drawing and digital photography to help with collecting research, exploring different ideas and recording the creation of your products. You will also develop your knowledge of textiles and the
textiles industry.