CCEA GCSE Art and Design assessment and the creative process: the four objectives and how the components work

What this module demands

CCEA GCSE Art and Design is a fully practical qualification. There is no written exam testing facts; instead you build a body of work that is marked against four assessment objectives. This module explains how the qualification is assessed, what each objective rewards, and how the two components work, so the principles can be applied to every project. It ties the dot-point pages together.

The four assessment objectives

CCEA marks all work against four objectives, each worth a quarter of the marks for a component.

• AO1 develop. Develop ideas through investigations and demonstrate critical understanding of sources, including the work of artists, designers and craftworkers.
• AO2 refine. Refine work by exploring ideas and experimenting with media, materials, techniques and processes.
• AO3 record. Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
• AO4 present. Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and connects the visual elements.

The creative process

The objectives map onto a creative journey. You record from first-hand observation, develop ideas from sources, refine by experimenting with media and selecting the strongest, and realise a personal response. The stages overlap, but the sketchbook must show each kind of activity and show them connecting. Annotation makes your thinking visible and lifts the work.

The two components

The qualification is assessed by two controlled-assessment components.

• Component 1 Portfolio (60 percent, 120 marks). Part A is the Exploratory Portfolio, a sustained body of practical work; Part B is Investigating the Creative and Cultural Industries, which connects your practice to real artists and industries.
• Component 2 Externally Set Assignment (40 percent). CCEA sets a stimulus paper; you complete a preparatory period, then produce a final personal response in a 10-hour supervised period.

Why process beats product

Because the four objectives are weighted equally, the preparatory work that evidences develop, refine and record is worth three quarters of the marks, and the final piece, which mainly evidences present, is worth a quarter. A beautiful outcome with no studies behind it cannot reach the top band. This is the single most important idea in the whole course.

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall questions covering the whole module. Attempt them, then check the solutions.

1. Name the four assessment objectives and the one-word summary of each. (4 marks)
2. What fraction of a component's marks does the final piece roughly carry, and why? (2 marks)
3. Name the four stages of the creative process. (4 marks)
4. What are the two parts of Component 1? (2 marks)
5. What is Component 1 worth, and how many marks does it carry? (2 marks)
6. What does CCEA provide for Component 2? (1 mark)
7. How long is the supervised period in Component 2, and what is it for? (2 marks)
8. Why does first-hand observational recording score more highly than copying internet images? (1 mark)