Guidance

GCSE subject-level conditions and requirements for art and design (2022)

Published 11 November 2021

This guidance was withdrawn on 9 July 2024

These documents are no longer in use, as they applied only to assessments delivered in 2022.

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in 2022.

We have developed these requirements with the intention that GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) should provide:

• evidence of students’ achievements against demanding and fulfilling content
• a strong foundation for further academic and vocational study and for employment
• a basis for schools and colleges to be held accountable for the performance of all of their students, if required

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCSE Subject Level Conditions for Art and Design (2022). These conditions will come into effect at 09:30 on 12 November 2021 for all GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in Art and Design for Learners completing the qualification in 2022, except where the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework applies.

It also sets out our requirements in relation to:

• assessment objectives - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE(Art and Design)1.2
• assessment - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Art and Design)2.4

With respect to all GCSE Qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in Art and Design in 2022, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications
• our GCSE Qualification Level Conditions
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

With respect to GCSE in Art and Design taken by Learners completing the qualification in 2023 and after, an awarding organisation must continue to comply with the GCSE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Art and Design.

Subject Level Conditions

GCSE Subject Level Conditions for Art and Design

Condition GCSE(Art and Design) 1: Compliance with content requirements

GCSE(Art and Design)1.1

In respect of each GCSE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must -

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Art and design GCSE subject content’, document reference DFE-00700- 2014,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCSE(Art and Design)1.2

In respect of each GCSE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCSE(Art and Design) 2: Assessment

GCSE(Art and Design)2.1

Condition GCSE4.1 does not apply to any GCSE Qualification in Art and Design which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

GCSE(Art and Design)2.2

An awarding organisation must ensure that no assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available is an Assessment by Examination.

GCSE(Art and Design)2.3

An awarding organisation must ensure that all of the marks available for a GCSE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available are made available through tasks set by a Centre.

GCSE(Art and Design)2.4

An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Art and Design which it makes available it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives - GCSE Qualifications in Art and Design

Condition GCSE(Art and Design)1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for all GCSE Qualifications in Art and Design.

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE(Art and Design)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCSE Qualifications in Art and Design they make available or propose to make available.

Assessment objective	Description	Weighting
AO1	Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.	25%
AO2	Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.	25%
AO3	Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.	25%
AO4	Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language	25%

Assessment requirements

Requirements in relation to assessments for GCSE Qualifications in Art and Design

Condition GCSE(Art and Design)2.4 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to assessments for GCSE Qualifications in Art and Design.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE(Art and Design)2.4 below.

Internally Set Assessments

GCSE(Art and Design)2.3 states that an awarding organisation must ensure that all of the marks available for a GCSE Qualification in Art and Design are made available through tasks set by a Centre (‘Internally Set Assessments’).

An awarding organisation must ensure that each Internally Set Assessment is designed to -

1. (a) require a portfolio of work to be completed by each Learner, and
2. (b) be taken under conditions specified by the awarding organisation, including, in particular, conditions which ensure that the evidence generated by each Learner can be Authenticated.

In respect of each Internally Set Assessment, an awarding organisation must ensure that each Centre sets the task for each Learner following appropriate input from that Learner in relation to that task.

Marking of assessments

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Art and Design may be marked -

1. (a) by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation,
2. (b) by a Centre, or
3. (c) through a combination of (a) and (b).

In any event, the awarding organisation must demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that -

1. (a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from its approach to marking the assessments (and to moderation where appropriate), and
2. (b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.