Our Art A Level course offers a dynamic and supportive environment for you to explore your creative potential. At Varndean we have a strong history of teaching both traditional and contemporary art skills in our purpose built, light filled art studio. Guided by practising artists and experienced tutors, you’ll experiment with a range of materials, techniques, and mediums while developing your own unique artistic voice. The course is designed to help you think critically, push boundaries, and take creative risks through a combination of practical projects, individual study, and research into the work of influential artists.

In Year 1, you’ll be introduced to a broad spectrum of artistic practices, from drawing and painting to printmaking and mixed media. You’ll explore different approaches to drawing, work with life models, and gain hands-on experience using many different materials. You will experience a degree of freedom and personal project management by researching your own individual theme, whilst working with exciting techniques and expert guidance. Art allows you to find out what is interesting and important to you as an individual, and explore the ways to express this. Visits to major galleries in London will further broaden your exposure to contemporary art and inspire your own work.

As you progress into Year 2, you’ll extend your technical skills and focus on more ambitious, self-directed projects. You’ll negotiate your individual subjects of study with your tutor, deepening your engagement with both practical and critical research. You will also be encouraged to work on large-scale pieces in two or three dimensions. In the second half of the year, you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate your artistic development in an externally set assignment, showcasing your ability to record observations, respond to existing art, and produce your own high-level creative work. A final exhibition will mark the culmination of your Year 2 work, giving you the opportunity to present your portfolio to the public.