Art and Design : Higher

Recommended Entry Requirements:

  • National 5 Art and Design at Grade A or B
  • National 5 English A-C

(Pupils who do not meet these requirements may be considered for this course at the discretion of the department.)

Course Content:

  • This course provides a broad practical experience in Art & Design. As learners you will be inspired and challenged through a variety of activities, to
  • Create, represent and communicate your thoughts, ideas and feelings using materials and techniques.
  • Analyse a range of Art & Design practice, and critically reflect on the impact of external social, historical and cultural factors on artists, designers and their work
  • Plan, develop and present creative Expressive and Design work
  • Develop personal creativity, through problem solving, critical thinking and reflective skills

The course consists of two portfolios:

Expressive Unit

Learners will select stimuli from which they will produce investigative drawings and studies. Development of ideas will follow, refining ideas and thinking, experimenting with a range of media, materials and technologies in 2D or 3D formats before producing a final piece and evaluating their work.

Design Unit

This unit will allow learners to plan, research and create design ideas in response to a brief, paying attention to constraints, design issues and other factors. Design ideas will be refined by experimenting with materials and technologies in either 2D or 3D formats before producing a final outcome and evaluating its success against the criteria set by the brief.

In both areas, pupils will develop critical understanding of artists’ and designers’ working practice, with reference to social and cultural influences.

In the question paper; the questions are designed to assess candidates’ ability to: explain the methods used by artists and designers to achieve visual impact and creative and/or functional effect demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of different external influences on art and design works analyse art and design works and critically respond to unseen prompts and images

Assessment:

  • The practical folio and critical enquiry will be continuously assessed throughout the course. The folio comprising practical and critical work will be sent to SQA for external assessment. This evidence is externally scrutinised by SQA.
  • In addition, learners will sit a written question paper which assesses knowledge and understanding of Art & Design practice from critical studies researched alongside the practical units.
  • Expressive folio – 100 marks (38.5%)
  • Design folio – 100 marks (38.5%)
  • Question paper – 60 marks (23%)

Progression Pathway: