During Key Stage Four progress is assessed against the GCSE Art & Design Assessment criteria which, in brief, are as follows:

1. Developing ideas and responding to research

2. Refining ideas through experimentation

3. Recording ideas through drawing and photography

4. Presenting outcomes which are personal and informed by research and experimentation

These criteria function together to form a holistic model of practice; and much time and effort is spent teaching the students how to develop this practice.

Students receive continuous informal feedback during lessons as work develops.

Completed pieces of work are assessed with estimated grades, and formal assessments of progress against the full set of criteria are made each half-term.

At KS4 we assess the extent to which the body of work meets the four assessment objectives.

Marks for individual pieces of work may be given against one, two or three of the assessment objectives according to the nature of the task which will be clearly indicated in the notes that go with the marking. However these marks are estimates until the whole body of work is completed and submitted for assessment, because of the extent to which it has to be marked as a whole.

At the end of the course, coursework and exam projects are assessed internally by staff and then moderated by external assessors.