The GCSE Externally Set Assignment
The GCSE Externally Set Assignment is one of the most creative independent activities students undertake in their school life. What's more, it is extremely demanding and difficult. Not only are students expected to produce a body of work entirely on their own, it must be both original and meet a wide set of examination objectives. Worth 40% of the overall grade, the assignment is spread across many weeks and months. Students must display their ideas to starting points set out in the controlled assignment question paper, then develop their idea using observational drawing, written annotation, experimentation with media, and use of visual sources.
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Success in the assignment depends on being able to work independently outside of typical school hours at a time when students are revising for other examinations. Ideally, all students will be prepared for this assignment by the time they reach the Spring Term of Year 11. They should be able to read and understand the questions in the first instance. This isn't as easy as it sounds. Literacy levels for this paper are around 16 - 18 years, making it well above the reading ages of many students at this stage. In addition to this, the sheer workload of producing page after page of drawings, paintings, sketchbook pages, models, maquettes, written notes and developmental ideas without the support of a teacher, illustrates just how hard it is.
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This students support guide aims to provide clear, concise instruction for students during this assignment. It is written within the abilities of a 13 year-old reader and is broken down into clear stages for ease of use. I think it can be covered in a minimum of 40 hours: 4 hours for the planning stage, 10 each for observation & experimentation, 8 for artist sources, and 4 each for refinement and practice. Of course, higher grades will require many more hours than this!
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Finally, I haven't indicated the time frames for coverage of the Assessment Objectives because I think schools will all have their own agenda. I'd only advise to try to give equal weighting to all of them.
