KS3 ART and DESIGN

ASSESSMENT DESCRIPTORS

AO1: Research and Develop ideas.

AO2: Refine ideas through experimenting.

AO3: Record ideas in visual and other forms.

Looking at artists, craftspeople and

designers to help their work. Showing they
can analyse art that inspires them and
showing they understand the cultural
background to the art.

Using lots of different materials and techniques like

charcoal, biro, collage and printing. Experimenting to see
what works and what doesnt. Improving their work as it
progresses.

Writing and drawing their ideas out making these ideas link to their
research from A01. This includes brainstorming visually and written.
Drawing and photography from objects in front of them.

A*

create highly skilful Artist studies and

insightful notes explaining the relevance and
historical context.

produce imaginative developments of highly refined and

mature ideas.

use a range of techniques for generating ideas including detailed

brainstorm/ mind-maps. Write and talk fluently and accurately about art,
craft and design.

This is the work that they make at

the end of the project (it might not
just be one piece). This should be
linked to their inspirations (A01),
their experiments (A02) and their
drawings and finished ideas (A03).
create outcomes that are personal,
insightful, highly skilled, creative
and realise their intentions.

explore other artists with similar themes and

ideas and compare.

collect and present personal and creative primary & secondary source
resources including photographs. Justify your choices making links to the
artists work.

Make imaginative connections to

the Artists work.

Explore and exploit the potential of a wide range of media and

processes creatively and imaginatively.
create highly thoughtful & creative planning of alternative
outcomes

Working Towards GCSE Grade

create skilful Artist studies and thoughtful

notes to explain the relevance.

generate a range of creative ideas and develop these

thoughtfully.

complete skilful artist research that includes

their own personal opinion, reflection and
analysis.

explore a wide range of materials, processes and techniques

skilfully.

demonstrate good understanding of the

Artists use of the formal elements and
historical influences.
communicate and justify their own opinion in
a coherent manner.

create images and objects with highly developed and skilful mark-making.
use effective brainstorms and mind-maps alongside a wide range of
collected relevant primary & secondary source resources.. Explain the
relevance.
develop their mark-making and making ability so it is consistently skilful.

consider and plan a range of alternative ideas.

refine and develop ideas with thought and independence.
explore a range of materials, processes and techniques with
consistently good success.

collect and present effectively, a range of relevant primary & secondary

source pictures.

consistently plan outcomes with good quality drawing and

clear notes.

develop their mark-making and making ability so it is consistently good.

explore a range of materials, processes and techniques with

some success.

express their personal opinion using the

formal elements accurately in their writing.
research key facts about artists and explain
how it might help them with their own ideas.
Demonstrate some understanding of how the
artist has used the formal elements in their
work
Use a range of key vocabulary accurately and
explain what they like and dislike about an
artists work giving reasons.
collect and organise basic information about
art and artists including pictures and text. Use
key words accurately in simple sentences and
paragraphs.
Identify key formal elements the artist has
used in their work

refine and develop ideas

plan outcomes with drawing
reflect on their strengths and weaker areas and suggest and
identify ways to refine their work. Respond positively to
teacher and peer feedback and use others observations to
help them to improve their work.

discuss, and use clear written notes to evaluate and explain their own
work and make links to other artists work.
explore some ideas that link to the artists work
collect primary and secondary resources
demonstrate progress with their mark-making and making through more
thoughtful application of the formal elements.
independently generate more than 1 idea and explore and develop these
in a range of contrasting media and techniques.
reflect on their experiments, identifying success and how to improve.
Develop their mark-making and making so it is more consistent.

use a greater range of media and techniques and learn from

their success and failures.
.
willingly try out new media and techniques without fear of
failure.
recall and apply techniques demonstrated to help them make
more progress.
identify what they have had success with and how they might
improve.

create an outcome that is clearly

informed by the work of the artist
and shows imagination and skill.
analyse their outcome.

reflect on their own and others art coherently, using a wide range of key
vocabulary accurately.
consistently explore a range of ideas that link to the artists work

collect and present accurate and relevant

information about different artists.

AO4: Create a final outcome,

make links, and demonstrate
understanding.

create an outcome that is personal,

meaningful and aesthetically
pleasing
make good connections to the
Artists work.
evaluate their outcome
Create a planned outcome that is
clearly informed by your
understanding of the artists work,
explain these links in writing.
create an outcome of their own
design that has clearly been
informed by the artists studied
earlier, and by their own
experiments and discoveries.

Practise their control of media and tools.

generate at least one idea independently
willingly explore ideas using a range of different media and techniques.
Identify similarities and differences and express preferences giving
reasons.

make progress towards creating an

outcome that is a culmination of the
best of their earlier work.