How is WJEC A-Level Art and Design structured, and how is the grade built from its three non-exam units?
WJEC A-Level Art and Design (Wales) is a unitised, portfolio-only qualification of three non-exam units: AS Unit 1 Personal Creative Enquiry (40 percent), A2 Unit 2 Personal Investigation (36 percent) and A2 Unit 3 Externally Set Assignment (24 percent), all judged against four equally weighted assessment objectives.
How WJEC A-Level Art and Design (Wales) is built: a unitised, portfolio-only qualification with three non-exam units (AS Unit 1 Personal Creative Enquiry 40 percent, A2 Unit 2 Personal Investigation 36 percent, A2 Unit 3 Externally Set Assignment 24 percent), all marked against four equally weighted assessment objectives, with no written exam.
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What this dot point is asking
WJEC A-Level Art and Design (Wales) is a practical, portfolio-only qualification. There is no written exam: the whole grade is built from three non-exam units judged against four assessment objectives. This dot point sets out the shape of the course, the names and weightings of the three units, and how the marks combine, so you know exactly what you are working towards across the two years.
The shape of the qualification
The qualification is unitised: it is built from separate units rather than assessed in one block at the end. There is one AS unit and two A2 units.
The AS year builds a broad foundation of critical, practical and theoretical skills through the Personal Creative Enquiry. The A2 year deepens that into greater specialism, first through the candidate-led Personal Investigation and then through the WJEC-set Externally Set Assignment. The progression is deliberate: breadth at AS, then depth and resolution at A2.
The three units at a glance
| Unit | Name | Stage | Weighting (A level) | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Personal Creative Enquiry | AS | 40 percent | - |
| Unit 2 | Personal Investigation | A2 | 36 percent | 160 |
| Unit 3 | Externally Set Assignment | A2 | 24 percent | 100 |
Note the WJEC (Wales) weightings: the AS Personal Creative Enquiry carries the largest share of the A level at 40 percent, because the AS contributes to the full qualification. This is a genuine difference from some other boards, so quote the WJEC figures rather than a 60/40 split from elsewhere.
How the grade is built
Each unit is a body of work assessed against the four equally weighted assessment objectives (AO1 to AO4). The centre marks the work internally using the WJEC mark scheme, and WJEC moderates a sample externally to confirm standards across centres. The weighted unit marks then combine into the overall grade.
What this means for how you work
Because the grade is portfolio-based and objective-led, the way to earn marks is to evidence all four objectives across each unit: investigate (AO1), experiment and refine (AO2), record first-hand (AO3) and present a resolved, personal outcome (AO4). The endorsed title you take (Fine Art, Photography, Textile Design and so on) sets the breadth and focus of practice, but the assessment is the same for all titles.
Try this
Q1. Name the three units of WJEC A-Level Art and Design with their weightings towards the A level. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. AS Unit 1 Personal Creative Enquiry (40 percent), A2 Unit 2 Personal Investigation (36 percent), A2 Unit 3 Externally Set Assignment (24 percent), all non-exam assessment.
Q2. Explain how the grade is built given there is no written exam. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Each unit is a portfolio marked against the four equally weighted objectives (AO1 to AO4), internally assessed and externally moderated; the weighted unit marks combine into the A* to E grade, with the only supervised element being the 15 hours of making in Unit 3.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC specification6 marksName the three units of WJEC A-Level Art and Design and give the weighting of each towards the full A level.Show worked answer →
A recall task. Award marks for the three unit names and their weightings.
The qualification is unitised with one AS unit and two A2 units. AS Unit 1 is the Personal Creative Enquiry, worth 40 percent of the A level. A2 Unit 2 is the Personal Investigation, worth 36 percent. A2 Unit 3 is the Externally Set Assignment, worth 24 percent.
A strong answer adds that all three are non-exam assessment (there is no written exam), that AS Unit 1 forms a free-standing AS qualification but also counts towards the A level, and that every unit is marked against the same four equally weighted assessment objectives, internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC.
WJEC structure8 marksExplain why WJEC A-Level Art and Design has no written examination, and how the grade is built instead.Show worked answer →
An explanation task rewarding understanding of a portfolio qualification.
Why no written exam. Art and Design is a practical discipline: the skills assessed are investigating, experimenting, recording and making, which a timed written paper cannot test. So the whole grade comes from portfolios of practical work judged against the four objectives.
How the grade is built. Three non-exam units contribute: the AS Personal Creative Enquiry (40 percent), the A2 Personal Investigation (36 percent) and the A2 Externally Set Assignment (24 percent). Each is a body of work marked against AO1 to AO4, internally assessed and externally moderated, and the weighted unit marks combine into the overall grade A* to E.
A top answer notes that the only timed, supervised element is the 15 hours of sustained focus in Unit 3, and that this is for making a planned outcome, not for sitting an exam. Written analysis still earns marks (especially the extended written element of Unit 2), but as part of the portfolio, not as a separate paper.
Related dot points
- AS Unit 1 Personal Creative Enquiry is a broad, exploratory non-exam project worth 40 percent of the A level that integrates critical, practical and theoretical work on a personally meaningful theme, assessed against all four objectives.
What the WJEC AS Unit 1 Personal Creative Enquiry requires: a broad, exploratory non-exam project on a personally meaningful theme that integrates critical, practical and theoretical work, worth 40 percent of the A level and marked against all four assessment objectives, building the foundation for A2.
- A2 Unit 2 Personal Investigation is a sustained, candidate-led practical project on a self-chosen theme worth 36 percent and 160 marks, including an extended written element of 1000 to 3000 words, assessed against all four objectives.
What the WJEC A2 Unit 2 Personal Investigation requires: a sustained, candidate-led practical project on a self-chosen theme worth 36 percent and 160 marks, including an extended written element of 1000 to 3000 words of continuous prose, assessed against all four equally weighted objectives.
- A2 Unit 3 Externally Set Assignment is a non-exam unit worth 24 percent and 100 marks in which learners respond to a WJEC-set starting point through a preparatory period and a final outcome made in 15 hours of sustained focus under supervised conditions, assessed against all four objectives.
What the WJEC A2 Unit 3 Externally Set Assignment requires: responding to a WJEC-set starting point through a preparatory period and a final outcome made in 15 hours of sustained focus under supervised conditions, worth 24 percent and 100 marks, with preparatory and supervised work assessed together against all four objectives.
- Each unit is marked against the four equally weighted assessment objectives using mark bands, internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC, with weighted unit marks combining into the A* to E grade.
How marking works in WJEC A-Level Art and Design: each unit is judged against the four equally weighted objectives using mark bands, internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC, with the weighted unit marks combining into the overall A* to E grade.
- WJEC Art and Design is offered across endorsed titles, including Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Textile Design, Three-Dimensional Design and Photography, plus the broad Art, Craft and Design, which share the same assessment but set the focus of practice.
The endorsed titles of WJEC Art and Design: Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Textile Design, Three-Dimensional Design and Photography, plus the broad Art, Craft and Design. They share the same four objectives, units and marks, but set the focus and breadth of practice expected.
- The extended written element of the Personal Investigation is a piece of continuous critical prose, between 1000 and 3000 words, exploring the contextual sources behind the practical work and integrated with it.
What the extended written element of the WJEC Personal Investigation requires: continuous critical prose of between 1000 and 3000 words exploring the contextual sources behind the practical work, integrated with it, illustrated and referenced, with guidance on writing a strong personal study.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCE AS/A Level Art and Design specification (from 2015) — WJEC (2015)
- GCE AS and A level subject content for art and design — Welsh Government / Ofqual (2015)