The bulk of the course will be concerned with individually based work. The subject content will enable candidates to experience a full range of processes and techniques appropriate to their aptitudes, interests and abilities. The course of study will be broadly based and will include as fundamental all four AQA exam attainment targets. Knowledge and Understanding and Making and Investigating.

At the end of the January in Year 11 each candidate will produce an exhibition. This will be assessed and could earn a possible 60% of the final grade.

Controlled Test

The remaining 40% could be awarded to a compulsory Terminal Test. This work is unaided by staff and must be completed within a specified 10 hours at the end of year 11.

Contents of course:

The syllabus itself is a broadly based course covering a number of aspects of Photography. It will include the making of pinhole cameras to help pupils to understand the concept of photography, all basic black and white darkroom photography, digital photography and Photoshop. Fine art photography and experimenting will also be taught and developed through sun prints, photogram’s and the use of liquid light (enabling a photographic image to be processed onto any surface – glass, metal, wood, ceramics etc.) students will be encouraged to work creatively and develop their own ideas through experimenting thus making photography and art form no different than painting a picture.

Candidates will work on a number of set projects through out the course designed to take a creative and conceptual approach to photography thinking about the effect of light, contrast and composition and through possible themes such as portraiture, still life, narrative and fashion. Students will be required to keep a sketchbook to document all their progress and to develop ideas. All candidates will show, as the course progresses, that they can pursue ideas in a logical and thoughtful manner through any photographic process, eventually producing images that are attractive, interesting and satisfying and which show technical skill and understanding.

Throughout the course candidates will be given access to the work of other photographers, both historical and contemporary, as an integral part of the course. Photography course does require a substantial amount of commitment both in and out of School. Photo shoots produced outside of school will be made possible through the loaning of school cameras and will be a crucial part of the creative process to allow for ideas to be made possible Photography is a unique vehicle for communication and self-expression and allows the creator to view the world in a new way.