Y10 Art
Welcome to our Year 10 Art revision hub. Here you can find details of the exam board & specification, when your mock exams will take place, what will be tested in the exam and how you should revise and prepare.
To download a pdf summary of the Art revision information – click here
Exam Board: OCR GCSE Art & Design (Fine Art – J171)
Specification: Click here to access the exam board specification – click here
Mock Exam Details
Final Piece Practical Exam
Date: Thursday 10 July (All Day) and Friday 11 July (All Day)
Length: 10 hours
Total Marks: 120 marks
What Will My Assessment Test My Knowledge On?
During your mock art exam, you will:
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| How will my mock exam be marked? | |||||||||||||||
Your coursework will be marked against these assessment criteria.
How to Achieve Higher Marks ⭐ Make strong artist links · Show clear influence from the artists or designers you have studied. · Explain what you learned from them and how it helped your own work. ⭐ Show development and improvement · Don’t just stick with your first idea. · Show how you explored different ideas and improved them through experiments and trials. ⭐ Experiment with materials confidently · Try different techniques and materials in your prep work. · Choose the ones that work best for your final piece and show skill in using them. ⭐ Record thoughtfully · Keep high-quality sketches, photos, and notes throughout your project. · Add personal thoughts and explain why you made certain decisions. ⭐ Create a personal and meaningful final piece · Your final artwork should clearly link back to your theme, artist studies, and sketchbook journey. · Show your own style, ideas, and emotions — avoid simply copying others. ⭐ Finish to a high standard · Make sure your final piece looks complete, carefully made, and considered. · Pay attention to the details like backgrounds, edges, neatness, and overall presentation. ⭐ Annotate clearly and purposefully · Your sketchbook writing should explain your thinking and reflect on your progress, not just describe what you did.
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What Should I Do To Revise And Prepare For This Assessment?
During your lessons you will:
- Complete a series of thumbnail sketches exploring different ideas
- Test and refine compositional techniques (e.g., rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry/asymmetry)
- Conduct media trials to select the best materials (e.g., acrylics, watercolours, mixed media)
- Review and refine coursework sketchbooks
- Ensure clear annotation linking decisions to intentions (linked to AO1 and AO2)
You need to ensure this and any outstanding coursework are completed before you come to your exam.
Useful Revision Resources & Links
Remember GCSE Art Club is on every Wednesday afterschool until 4.15 to support you with any unfinished work.
It might be helpful to look at some exemplar coursework:
- Search for terms like “GCSE Art Portfolio” or “GCSE Art Sketchbook”.
- You can find lots of real examples in different styles and with different themes.
YouTube
- Search for videos such as “GCSE Art Sketchbook Flip Through” or “GCSE Art Portfolio Tour”.
- Many students share videos showing their full sketchbooks and final outcomes.
Google Images
- Try searching for “GCSE Art Portfolio OCR” or “GCSE Art Sketchbook Examples”.
- This is useful for seeing quick visual examples of layouts, annotation styles, and finished pieces.
Art Teacher and Education Websites
- Some schools and teachers post full examples of student work online.
- Recommended sites:
- Student Art Guide – A very helpful site showing high-level coursework and tips for success.
- Tate Kids – Good for artist research and creative inspiration.
- BBC Bitesize – Art and Design – Helpful for basic project ideas and revision tips.
OCR Exam Board Website
- Visit the OCR GCSE Art and Design page.
- You can find examiner reports, student examples, and clear advice on what examiners are looking for.