International GCSE Art and Design

The benefits of studying International GCSE Art and Design

Studying art fosters creativity and innovation. By experimenting with various mediums, techniques and ideas, you will learn to think outside the box and develop your own unique solutions to the artistic challenges you will encounter on this course.

Art is a powerful way to express yourself and communicate with others. It helps you to convey emotions, ideas, and stories in novel and meaningful ways. Don’t forget that art also reflects the cultural, historical, and social contexts in which it is created. By studying art, you gain an insight into different cultures, traditions and perspectives and this will help you to appreciate the diversity of our world.

Studying art can open doors to a whole variety of career paths. Skills developed in this art course, such as creativity, communication and problem-solving, will be highly valued if you choose to become an artist, art critic or illustrator, and equally if you wish to pursue a career in design, advertising, animation or education.

Wolsey Hall Oxford is a registered school of Cambridge Assessment International Education

Wolsey Hall is a registered online Cambridge International School.

Wolsey Hall Oxford is a Pearson Edexcel approved centre

We offer a wide range of courses at IGCSE Level.

Please note that enrolments are now closed for May/June 2026 for the International GCSE Art and Design course. For the exams in May/June 2027, the first available Access Date will be 1st May 2025. Please contact our Admissions Team for further information.
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Course Introduction

In this course, you will be encouraged to actively engage in the creative process of art, craft and design. The course will enable you to acquire and develop technical skills whilst exploring a broad range of media, materials, techniques, processes, and technologies. This could involve drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic design, or other forms of visual expression allowing for experimentation and creativity. Through your studies you will become confident in taking risks and learn from experience as you develop and refine your own unique ideas and personal creative outcomes.

Key topics covered

  • Photography
  • Mixed media
  • Printing
  • Painting
  • Lens/light based media
  • Sculpture
  • Artist study
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Prior study

Wolsey Hall Oxford recommends that learners starting this course should have students studied a general curriculum such as the Cambridge Lower Secondary programme or equivalent national educational framework such as the Key Stage 3 programme of study within the National Curriculum for England which has incorporated Art and Design.

The syllabus and hours of study 

The course will prepare your child for the Pearson International GCSE Art and Design – Fine Art (4FA1).

The course has two components, each of which is worth 50% of the final mark. Component 1 is a portfolio of work created by the student on themes set by Wolsey Hall. Component 2 focuses on a theme set by Pearson each year in January of the second year of study, beginning with student prep work and ending with a 10-hour sustained focus period which is remotely invigilated. Wolsey Hall will be the entering exam centre for students taking this course as all invigilation is conducted entirely remotely. There will be an examination entry fee which will be payable to Wolsey Hall, and this will be shared at enrolment with parents.

As the entering exam centre, Wolsey Hall needs to verify that everything submitted to the exam board is the candidate’s own work and therefore we have designed a process for continuous monitoring throughout the course which will enable your tutor to confirm that all the work is indeed your own and has been done by you under the conditions set by the exam board. This will involve students recording their work sessions and taking photographs to show progression at the end of tasks that are identified as forming part of their portfolio of work and also their controlled assessment preparatory work. 

lower secondary art for homeschoolers

Course samples

Course Fees

Moza enjoys the art lessons greatly! It is her favourite lesson for the week, and she is always painting or drawing. She says it “makes her relax.”
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Meri Magdalena – Homeschooling Parent

Indonesia

During the lockdown I got very bored and didn’t have much to do. Now I look forward to my art lessons every Friday and it means I can work on my art all weekend as well if I want to. I have really enjoyed this course. The video lessons are very easy to follow and I have learned so many new skills. Paula makes it look easy. I love using new materials and techniques. Sometimes the skills are very hard. It is ok to make mistakes as long as you are getting better. I am very proud of my work. I can’t wait until the next unit, it looks like so much fun!
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Harriet G – Primary Homeschooling Art Student

Ireland