GCSE/A level Art and Design - Supporting Art and Design departments to deliver GCSE and A level courses - A guide for line managers and non-specialists

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo

A practical guide for line managers and non-specialists supporting GCSE and A level Art and Design departments. It explains how the qualifications work, including 100% internal assessment with teacher marking and subsequent exam-board moderation, plus the sustained-focus component that needs technical specialist support. The guide sets out actionable steps: enable staff training, protect time for marking and standardisation, ensure teacher and specialist availability, prepare suitable spaces for moderation, and appoint a department representative to brief the moderator and remain available throughout the visit.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

What makes Art and Design different to most other subjects?

How to support your Art and Design department?

GCSE/A level Art and Design Supporting Art and Design departments to deliver GCSE and A level courses A guide for line managers and non-specialists | | What makes Art and Design different to most other subjects? | | --- | --- | | | 1. Our GCSE and A level Art and Design qualifications are 100% internally assessed, which means that teachers mark 100% of the students’ work. A sample of the candidates’ work is then moderated by the exam board.
2. The 10-hour (GCSE) or 15-hour (A level) period of sustained focus students complete during Component 2 requires support from technical specialists.
3. Physical displays of work need to be prepared in a suitable space in advance of the moderation visit.
4. In UK centres, moderation of work takes place in person, with a centre visit from an exam board moderator. | How to support your Art and Design department? 1. Enable your Art and Design teachers to attend training sessions. Pearson provide free in-person and online marking training for all centres. Student outcomes rely on teachers being able to mark work accurately. Inaccurate marking can lead to centre mark adjustments. 2. Provide your Art and Design teachers with time to mark and standardise work. As Art and Design is 100% internally assessed by teachers, time must be allowed for teachers to mark and standardise the work submitted for assessment. 3. Ensure your Art and Design teachers are available during the period of sustained focus. Whilst the period of sustained focus is conducted in exam conditions, technical specialists need to be available to support students during this period, so it is important that an Art teacher is available during these sessions. 4. Provide appropriate space to set up work for moderation. At the time of moderation there must be no students in the areas where the work is displayed, and the moderator must be given privacy when undertaking the moderation. 5. Ensure a designated teacher representative from the department is available during moderation visits. At the start of the moderation visit, there is an opportunity for the teacher-representative (preferably the Art teacher) to introduce the moderator to the work, explaining how the course has been run and how candidates have arrived at their outcome(s) . Pearson values this dialogue between the teacher-representative and the moderator. The teacherrepresentative should be readily available throughout the visit in case they are required. Pearson Edexcel GCSE/A level Art and Design. Supporting Art and Design departments to deliver GCSE and A level courses. Version 1, January 2025. Author and Approver: Product Management

FAQs

How is GCSE/A level Art and Design assessed under this guide?

The qualifications are 100% internally assessed, meaning teachers mark 100% of students’ work. A sample is then moderated by the exam board.

What support is needed during the sustained focus period in Component 2?

The 10-hour (GCSE) or 15-hour (A level) sustained focus period requires support from technical specialists. Students work in exam conditions, but specialist support must be available.

What preparation is required for moderation visits?

Physical displays must be set up in a suitable space in advance. At moderation time there should be no students in the display areas, and the moderator must be given privacy while moderating.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo