Level 2 Certificate OFQUAL. 501/2278/2
International GCSE Art and Design
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Course overview
Qualification title:
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Art and Design (2017)
Awarding body:
Pearson Edexcel – an internationally recognized UK exam board, comparable in rigour to the standard GCSE 9‑1 qualification
Accreditation & Recognition:
• Recognised globally and suitable for both international and UK schools.
• Developed with contributions from educators and higher education experts to ensure progression toward further study in art, craft, or design fields.
• Graded on the 9–1 scale and aligned with UK reformed GCSE standards.
Work produced on this course
Entry Requirements
No formal entry prerequisites—open to all students interested in creative visual practice.
Study Options
• Linear format:
Full course taken over 1 or 2 academic years, with final assessments at the end.
• Flexible study:
Centred around two main components (coursework and externally set assignment), adaptable to personal schedules although final exam is a sert date each year.
• Learner support:
Includes face‑to‑face, on‑demand chats, and live online resources.
How it works
Learners produce a sustained body of work through two main components, evaluated against four equally‑weighted Assessment Objectives (AO1–AO4). These cover exploration, development, technical skills, and personal responses
• Component 1: Coursework Portfolio:
- Students explore ideas, record visual and written research, develop media experiments, and produce resolved outcomes during study time.
- Builds evidence across all four AOs.
• Component 2: Externally Set Assignment (ESA):
- Released annually (e.g. January each year for June exams).
- Candidates complete preparatory work and then undertake a 10–15 hour supervised exam, which can be completed online.
- Involves creating portfolios and sustained practical work under exam conditions.
Structure of the course
1) Choose an endorsed title (must be consistent across both components):
Fine Art
Graphic Communication
Photography
Textile Design
Three‑dimensional Design
2) Component 1: Portfolio Development
Ongoing project work: primary observations, contextual studies, experimentation, refinement.
3) Component 2: Externally Set Assignment
Preparatory phase + timed exam (10–15 hours in 1–5 sessions, over max 3 weeks).
- Final personal response piece demonstrating visual language and intent (AO4).
🎯AO Weighting:
Each objective carries equal weighting — 25% each
Submission & Moderation
Digitally and via tutor-moderated submissions.
- Exemplar galleries and editable grids support consistent quality.
Summary at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Entry Requirements | None |
| Duration | Typically 2 year, linear format |
| Assessment | 100% internally assessed and externally moderated |
| Components | Coursework Portfolio + Externally Set Assignment |
| Endorsed Titles | 5 areas (Fine Art, Graphic, Photo, Textile, 3D) |
| Support | Example work, tutorial videos and skill archive, live events, group and 1:1 lessons |
Fees
UK fee
An exam registration fee of c. £64.60 will be payable to Pearson for the full certification.
Outside UK
Standard 2 year course: £2000 GBP ($2600 USD)
Intensive 1 year course: £3000 GBP ($3800 USD)
An exam registration fee of c. £64.60 will be payable to Pearson for the full certification.
Outside Europe
Standard 2 year course only £2,999 GBP
Plus an additional surcharge of £2,999 GBP may apply for students with a low level of English speaking and writing. For students with learning difficulties, please apply for our SEND courses. It is considerably more difficult and time consuming to teach these students.
An exam registration fee of c. £64.60 will be payable to Pearson for the full certification.
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