• Key stage 4 statutory entitlement areas
• GCSE subject criteria
• AS/A level subject criteria
• AS/A level standards
• Work-related learning

Art and design is a statutory entitlement area at key stage 4. The links above contain details of requirements for entitlement areas and GCSE/GCE-related material.

Key stage 4 statutory entitlement areas

Art and design is included within one of the four national curriculum statutory entitlement areas at key stage 4.

Schools must provide access for all students to a minimum of one course in the arts that leads to a qualification approved under Section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000.

It is expected that schools will offer at least two courses in the arts entitlement area and that they will continue to offer at least as wide a range of arts courses as they do at present.

The arts entitlement area involves students in making, sharing and responding to works of art as a dynamic part of culture past and present. This includes all art forms, for example paintings, sculpture, theatre, films and musicals.

The statutory arts entitlement is met by the existing curriculum arts disciplines of art and design, music, dance, drama and media arts. It does not include literature, because opportunities already exist for this area within English.

Each course offered within the arts entitlement area should provide sufficient depth and breadth of experiences for students to:

• engage with art forms from different times and cultures
• extend their own interests and explore their own thoughts and feelings
• develop artistic skills, knowledge and understanding
• participate in shared arts experiences
• understand the arts in context.

Schools can make this possible by providing access to courses that focus on:

• separate disciplines within the areas of media art, performing arts and visual arts
• the development of critical appreciation and understanding across the curriculum.

Further information can be accessed via the 14-19 learning website.

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GCSE subject criteria

Subject criteria provide the framework in which awarding bodies create the detail of a specification, and against which the regulatory authorities consider draft specifications submitted for accreditation.

The GCSE art and design and GCSE applied art and design subject criteria are available on this page.

Further information regarding GCSE qualifications is available on the art and design ‘Qualifications’ page.

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AS/A level qualifications subject criteria

Subject criteria provide the framework within which awarding bodies create the detail of a specification.

Broader criteria that apply to all A level qualifications are designed to improve quality and coherence within and across all qualifications. The regulatory authorities refer to these criteria when considering draft specifications submitted by awarding bodies for accreditation.

Links to subject criteria for A/AS level art and design and AS/A level applied art and design and performance descriptions for art and design and history of art are available on this page.

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AS/A level standards

QCA has a programme to review standards both over time and across awarding bodies. Further information and the most recent reports on GCE art and design are available on this page.

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Work-related learning

There is a statutory requirement that schools include work-related learning within the curriculum for all students at key stage 4. This includes:

• learning through work
• learning about work
• learning for work.

Further guidance and art and design-specific examples of work-related learning can be accessed from this page.

Details of vocational qualifications in art and design are available on the art and design ‘Qualifications’ page.

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