A Level Art & Design · Semester 1 Plan
A Level Art & Design · Semester 1 of 4 (course map)
Component 1 (Portfolio), G11, autumn 2026-27. You have one 45-minute session every teaching day — 80 sessions in total. The first session is Tue 2026-09-01 and the last teaching day is Fri 2027-01-08. Dates follow the school calendar and may shift when the school publishes the calendar for this period.
The five units
| Unit | Weeks | Gate |
|---|---|---|
| U1 Foundations on the Theme | W1–3 | theme committed |
| U2 Recording & Sustained Study | W3–6 | A1 Fri 2026-10-09 |
| U3 Exploration & Artist Study | W7–11 | A2 Mon 2026-11-09 |
| U4 Development | W11–15 | A3 Thu 2026-12-10 |
| U5 Final Outcome & Portfolio | W16–19 | A4 Thu 2027-01-07 |
Each unit page lists its lessons. The full attainment/CS register: 9479 S1 Assessments.
Week by week
| Wk | Dates | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| W1 | 09-01 → 04 | Briefing via a 96/100 exemplar; diagnostic drawing; theme committed Thu |
| W2 | 09-07 → 11 | Formal elements on the theme (line, tone, mark-making, color) |
| W3 | 09-14 → 18 | Recording Page 1; intention, mind map, thumbnails, annotated rejections |
| W4 | 09-20 → 24 | Sunday make-up day carries a session; sustained study 2-day run Thu |
| W5 | 09-28 → 30 | Photography + finish studies (National Day from Thu) |
| W6 | 10-08 → 10 | AO1 self-check; A1 Fri; feedback Sat (make-up day) |
| W7 | 10-12 → 16 | Twelve prescribed media experiments (3-day run) |
| W8 | 10-19 → 23 | Critique; media selection; scale trial; Stage 3 page |
| W9 | 10-26 → 30 | Artist 1 Mon; mid-terms due Thu 10-29 |
| W10 | 11-02 → 03 | Artist 2 + bridge piece (Juniors Days take Wed–Fri) |
| W11 | 11-09 → 13 | A2 Mon; composition 1 composed + built |
| W12 | 11-16 → 20 | Comp 1 resolved; comp 2 (the rejected alternative) built |
| W13 | 11-23 → 27 | Critique; targeted tests; final direction Thu |
| W14 | 11-30 → 12-01 | Evaluation + Stage 6 page (Juniors Days Wed–Fri) |
| W15 | 12-07 → 11 | Final composition plan; A3 Thu 12-10 |
| W16 | 12-14 → 18 | Final outcome 4-day build + mid-production review |
| W17 | 12-21 → 23 | 3-day resolve run from Mon (window covers the break) |
| W18 | — | Break. Late-work cutoff ≈ Fri 01-01 — no late portfolio is possible |
| W19 | 01-04 → 08 | Photograph, sequence, edit with cut log; A4 Thu 01-07; reflection Fri |
| W20 | 01-11 → 18 | Exam window — no classes; A4 marking. There is no Art & Design EoT exam. |
| W21 | 01-19 → 21 | Returns + 1:1s; C3 bridge; winter HW: three candidate C3 themes |