Current Students Staff Portal

Your courses

Click Apply now above and continue to stage 2 where you can review and choose courses 3 to apply for.

Art, Craft & Design

Overview

Our vibrant and dynamic A-Level Art, Craft & Design course builds on the GCSE specification to offer exciting opportunities for Higher Education and inspire a life-long interest in, and enjoyment of, the Arts.

We will cover areas of Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Photography and Textiles before personalising projects for our main components.

Entry requirements

GCSE - Grade 5 in an Art & Design subject

(Portfolio required for GCSEs in other creative subjects or BTEC Art)

Learning & Assessment

Why study this subject?

Art, Craft, and Design equips you with the skills to create personal and imaginative work. You can specialise in various processes and media, aligning with your interests and abilities, leading to careers in fields like portrait painting, fashion design, or architecture. If you're adventurous, creative, and eager to shape the visual world, there are many career opportunities available for you.

What can you expect from this A level?

At A level in year 12, you will explore Graphic Communication, Fine Art, Photography, and Textiles. Component 1 accounts for 60% of your A level marks whilst Component 2 makes up the remaining 40%.

What can you do with a qualification in this subject?

Having an A level in a creative subject is an essential starting point for students who wish to follow an art and design career path, but also hugely valuable for those who might not.

Assessment

The 2 components are assessed on the evidence in your Portfolio and sketch books.

The marks you get for each component are assessed and provide your final grade for the A level.

Modules / Topics

Component 1

You will develop work for a personal investigation into an idea, issue, concept or theme supported by written material of 1000-3000 words.

Component 2

You will produce personal work in response to one of eight exciting starting points. This will be an externally set assignment (15 hour supervised time).

Trips / Visits / Enrichment

Trips, Visits & Enrichment

Art students benefit from a wide range of visits, workshops and industry-linked enrichment opportunities designed to develop creative skills, build portfolios and explore progression routes into higher education and creative careers.

Visits & Workshops

Sep 26 - Northern Print Workshop - Free
Take part in a specialist screen-printing workshop led by professional artists, helping Year 13 students develop new practical techniques and creative approaches.

Dec 26 - Creative London Trip - £200 Approx.
Visit world-renowned cultural institutions including the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Design Museum, with opportunities to explore exhibitions, creative industries and university progression pathways.

Feb/Mar 27 - Newcastle College University Centre (NCUC) - Free
Discover creative degree opportunities through a visit to the Mandela Building, gaining insight into higher education options within the creative sector.

Date TBC - Northumbria University - Free
Explore Fashion and Fashion Marketing courses through specialist workshops and taster activities, providing valuable insight into university-level study.

Date TBC - Northern School of Art - Free
Learn how to build and present a strong creative portfolio through expert guidance from higher education specialists.

Multiple Dates - Photography Workshops - Free
Develop photography skills and support project work through practical workshops and photographic walks around Newcastle city centre.

Guest Speakers & Progression Talks

Throughout the year, students have access to a variety of visiting speakers, university representatives and creative professionals who provide guidance on progression opportunities, careers and higher education.

Recent guest speakers and workshops include:

Northern School of Art - Nov 26
Teesside University - Nov 26
Leeds Beckett University - Nov 26
University of the Arts London (UAL) - Multiple Dates
Newcastle University - Multiple Dates

These sessions include portfolio advice, career guidance, university application support and practical creative workshops designed to help students plan their next steps.

Jen Linsdell

Director of Faculty & Head of Creative Arts

"'My interest in Education is about providing an inclusive and safe environment for you. My focus and passion has always been on how we support students to succeed, whilst also providing the necessary skills to develop their own wellbeing. I love completing research to make sure my students get the best out of me both inside and outside of the classroom and also strive to develop myself alongside the amazing students we have."

Joseph Davenport

Year 13 Student

"Rebecca has provided me with so much guidance and encouragement. I have really appreciated all of the resources I've had access to: testing out new materials and always opting for the most ambitious pieces, in scale and in skill. Her criticism and words of guidance in regard to my work are always necessary, well thought out and helpful."

Illustrator

Collaborate with writers and publishers to create illustrations for books, magazines, and other publications.
Develop sketches and refine ideas to meet client specifications.

Fine Artist

Create commissioned artwork tailored to various client needs, showcasing your unique style and artistic vision.
Market and sell finished works directly to customers through galleries or online platforms.

Graphic Designer

Draft sketches, create scale drawings, or develop colour schemes for projects, including branding, advertisements, and digital content.
Collaborate with clients to understand their vision and create visually appealing graphics.

Restoration Artist

Utilise artistic skills to restore damaged artworks, carefully preserving their integrity and historical significance.
Research techniques and materials suitable for the restoration of different art forms.

Art Teacher

Design lesson plans that inspire students to explore their creativity and develop their artistic skills.
Guide students through various projects, providing feedback and encouragement.

Product Designer

Select the most suitable materials and techniques for designing functional and aesthetically pleasing products.
Innovate and refine concepts to create compelling designs that meet consumer needs.

Exhibition Curator

Connect with gallery managers and organise exhibitions to showcase artists' works, planning layouts and themes to engage the audience.
Develop promotional materials and engage with the public to enhance exhibition visibility.

Progressing to HE

You can pursue degrees in areas such as Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Art History, and Fashion Design.

November Open Evening 2026

Wednesday 4th November 2026
4:30pm - 7:00pm

Find out more

Open Evening - 2nd December 2026

Wednesday 2nd December 2026
4:30pm - 7:00pm

Find out more

16 October 2026

Up and Running - Enrichment Success

This first half term for our Year 12 students has been the most successful ever for our Enrichment programme, which takes places on Tuesday afternoons. With a range of activities covering skills development, social, physical and practical extra curricular, we have over 700 students participating in 42 activities. Ranging from British Sign Language and IBM Cyber Security to Music and Film Production and even Dungeons and Dragons, these weekly sessions are an important part of our ASPIRE programme, and develop the community and ambition of our students in their first couple of weeks as part of NSFC. A major success this year has been our running club, which builds on our sponsorship of the Great North 10k and Great North 5k runs, which happened over the Summer, and saw over 400 participants from across our colleges. The group meet weekly and have both a competitive 5k run, and a less challenging run for those who simply want to get out and get some exercise. Led by Director of Curriculum Kate Gardner, this is a great example of our students engaging in physical activities and working together as a college community. Our first student experience survey illustrated the huge success of a range of our wider enrichments with great reviews of ‘A Taste of China’ for Chinese language beginners, ‘Performance Lab’ where students prepare a Christmas showcase and Film Production which is hosted and managed by a professional production company Digital Sidekick and builds real industry leading skills.

15 October 2026

'Unloc'king our Real Potential - Student Governor Event

A selected group of students, attended a one day conference and selection event to find our new Student Governor, hosted by Unloc, a youth organisation dedicated to empowering young people with programmes designed to develop skills and experience in developing leaders and the student voice. Nadine Dosky, Lauren Dudley, Yasemin Aysa Yildiz and Niamh Richardson attended the event as part of the NSFC group and engaged amazingly throughout the day, gaining valuable experience and eventually selecting Nadine as our next Student Governor for the academic year 2026-2027. The NCG Prospective Student Governors Event was a practical and creative hybrid day that explored the key skills needed for student leadership and representation, with sessions including, ‘being a changemaker,’ ‘creating your pitches’ and ‘selecting your new governors.’ The small group of students from NSFC really benefitted from the activity led by Ben and Kellie from Unloc, and were really grateful to have been selected as potential leaders from among our fabulous students at the sixth form.

9 October 2026

Ready to Aspire

The students at Newcastle Sixth Form College are taking on a new vision for our college community, with the acronym ASPIRE, to help them succeed and really enjoy their A Level experience.

Apply Now Print course information

Your courses

Art, Craft & Design

Overview

Entry requirements