The Art & Design Department

Key Stage 4 - Years 10 and 11

Photography GCSE

If there are too many students opting for Photography, students may be required to enter into a selection process where they will need to put into writing why they wish to join the course.

Course content

Photography is a mainly black and white darkroom based (silver print) course with a small element of digital photography.

It is focused mainly on the fine art aspect of photography and is an excellent course for students to explore artistic creativity, using the camera and darkroom as their tools.

Students will work on several projects each lasting around 5-6 weeks. They will research other photographers and will use this research to inform their own ideas. Students do not need to have any previous experience or have a camera of their own, but they must attend one after school lesson each week.

Students will learn how to use a 35mm camera, process black and white film, enlarge, print and display their photographs. Each finished project will consist of a sketchbook and mounted photographs. The materials that are used in photography are expensive and a yearly fee of £35 will be charged to each student to cover the cost of a number of films, a portfolio, contribution towards mount card and the use of the darkroom chemicals as well as the cost of purchasing paper.

Assessment

Students will be assessed in Photography both for the coursework that they produce throughout the course (60%) and for the final examination project (40%). All of their work will be displayed in an exhibition at the end of the course.

The examination consists of an externally set paper, which students respond to over a period of 8 weeks, developing and exploring ideas culminating in a 10 hour final examination held over a two day period.