How art is assessed: the four assessment objectives · GCSE Art and Design

How the GCSE is structured

Component 1, the portfolio, is worth 60%. It is a selection of work from your course, including at least one sustained project.
Component 2, the externally set assignment (ESA), is worth 40%. You respond to a starting point from the exam paper, finishing with 10 hours of supervised time.
Both components are marked against the same four assessment objectives, each worth a quarter of the marks.

AO1 Develop: develop ideas through investigations, showing critical understanding of sources (such as artists and designers).
AO2 Refine: refine work by exploring ideas and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
AO3 Record: record ideas, observations and insights relevant to your intentions, in visual and other forms (drawing, photography, annotation).
AO4 Present: present a personal and meaningful response that realises your intentions and shows understanding of visual language.

A strong project shows all four objectives working together: research (AO1) inspires experiments (AO2), recorded through drawing and notes (AO3), leading to a final piece (AO4).
Check your sketchbook against each objective as you work, so no area is weak.

Portfolio: Component 1: a selection of coursework, worth 60%.
Externally set assignment: Component 2: a project set by the exam board, worth 40%.
Assessment objective: One of the four skills the work is marked on.
Sustained project: An in-depth project developed over time.
Supervised time: The 10 hours in which the ESA final piece is made under exam conditions.
Visual language: The formal elements and how they create meaning.