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| Art and design A-level fails to prepare students | Art and design A-level fails to prepare students |
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| Art students are leaving school without the skills needed to study at university level, or the insight required to find a career in the creative sector, research suggests. | Art students are leaving school without the skills needed to study at university level, or the insight required to find a career in the creative sector, research suggests. |
| A survey of students and teachers in schools, colleges and universities, conducted by University of the Arts London (UAL), found more than half had little faith in the content of the present A-level. Of the hundreds who responded to the survey, (55%) had no strong opinion or disagreed that the A-level in art and design prepares students for higher education. Some 58% had no strong opinion or disagreed that the qualification prepares students for employment in the creative industries. | A survey of students and teachers in schools, colleges and universities, conducted by University of the Arts London (UAL), found more than half had little faith in the content of the present A-level. Of the hundreds who responded to the survey, (55%) had no strong opinion or disagreed that the A-level in art and design prepares students for higher education. Some 58% had no strong opinion or disagreed that the qualification prepares students for employment in the creative industries. |
| Nick Juba, director of UAL awarding body, says: "We know that the A-level in art and design probably isn't as good as it could be, purely from fact that there are so many students taking a foundation diploma, a one-year course sat after A-level that most students have to take if they want to go to a selective art school. | Nick Juba, director of UAL awarding body, says: "We know that the A-level in art and design probably isn't as good as it could be, purely from fact that there are so many students taking a foundation diploma, a one-year course sat after A-level that most students have to take if they want to go to a selective art school. |
| "But the research suggests there's also a need for the curriculum to relate more to the creative industries." | "But the research suggests there's also a need for the curriculum to relate more to the creative industries." |
| Researchers, who looked at the A-levels designed by the four main awarding bodies – AQA, OCR, Edexcel and WJEC – found 62% of respondents agree that the A-level encourages independent learning and transferable skills. | Researchers, who looked at the A-levels designed by the four main awarding bodies – AQA, OCR, Edexcel and WJEC – found 62% of respondents agree that the A-level encourages independent learning and transferable skills. |
| Only half (52%) agree or strongly agree that students can use ICT effectively in their work and just 22% of respondents believe students can collaborate and work as a team effectively. | Only half (52%) agree or strongly agree that students can use ICT effectively in their work and just 22% of respondents believe students can collaborate and work as a team effectively. |
| Sir John Sorrell, co-chair of the Sorrell Foundation and UK business ambassador, says industry experts should work more closely with schools to help give students an understanding of how their skills could be applied later in life. | Sir John Sorrell, co-chair of the Sorrell Foundation and UK business ambassador, says industry experts should work more closely with schools to help give students an understanding of how their skills could be applied later in life. |
| "Parents and teachers might understand what it means to have a career as an accountant, lawyer or doctor, but they probably don't understand what it means to have a career in the creative industries. It's difficult to communicate this because there's such a variety of things school or university-leavers could do within the sector. | "Parents and teachers might understand what it means to have a career as an accountant, lawyer or doctor, but they probably don't understand what it means to have a career in the creative industries. It's difficult to communicate this because there's such a variety of things school or university-leavers could do within the sector. |
| "Another problem is that the arts industry moves at a very fast pace. It's hard enough for people within the industry to keep up, so it must be incredibly tough for teachers. Industry needs to help teachers to stay in the loop so that they can offer the right guidance and real-life examples to young people." | "Another problem is that the arts industry moves at a very fast pace. It's hard enough for people within the industry to keep up, so it must be incredibly tough for teachers. Industry needs to help teachers to stay in the loop so that they can offer the right guidance and real-life examples to young people." |
| How exams are set and marked came in for special criticism in the survey. Many respondents believe the standards enforced by exam moderators are inconsistent, with significant numbers saying they did not believe external moderators have "good knowledge of policies and procedures" (37%) or that moderators have "a good understanding of the qualifications and subject matter" (41%). | How exams are set and marked came in for special criticism in the survey. Many respondents believe the standards enforced by exam moderators are inconsistent, with significant numbers saying they did not believe external moderators have "good knowledge of policies and procedures" (37%) or that moderators have "a good understanding of the qualifications and subject matter" (41%). |
| One teacher commented in a follow-up interview: "I think the consistency of external moderating fluctuates a great deal and it depends on the training of the examiner, how experienced they are, and what their actual specialism is, and this can vary tremendously." | One teacher commented in a follow-up interview: "I think the consistency of external moderating fluctuates a great deal and it depends on the training of the examiner, how experienced they are, and what their actual specialism is, and this can vary tremendously." |
| There were also variations in the amount of teaching time dedicated to the subject area. On average, institutions rated outstanding for arts and design devoted around 1 hour 27 minutes more in teaching per week than those said by Ofsted to "require improvement". | There were also variations in the amount of teaching time dedicated to the subject area. On average, institutions rated outstanding for arts and design devoted around 1 hour 27 minutes more in teaching per week than those said by Ofsted to "require improvement". |
| The University of Arts London is considering creating its own UAL-branded A-level to rival the qualifications currently on offer. "It may be that we decide to work with one of the existing exam boards to revise their specifications – which are up for review – but we are looking at whether there would be any benefit in us being more involved than that," Juba says. | The University of Arts London is considering creating its own UAL-branded A-level to rival the qualifications currently on offer. "It may be that we decide to work with one of the existing exam boards to revise their specifications – which are up for review – but we are looking at whether there would be any benefit in us being more involved than that," Juba says. |
| The university's research included 248 survey responses, and interviews with 15 schools, colleges and universities. The Arts Council, Ofsted, the Council for Higher Education in Art & Design (Chead) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) were also consulted during the study. | The university's research included 248 survey responses, and interviews with 15 schools, colleges and universities. The Arts Council, Ofsted, the Council for Higher Education in Art & Design (Chead) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) were also consulted during the study. |
| Lesley Butterworth, general secretary of National Society for Education in Art and Design (Nsead), says that the A-level curriculum for art, craft and design should be broad and balanced, but adds: "I don't think we can just look at one phase and its qualifications as a standalone. Formal education can be seen as a pipeline: what happens in early years will influence primary, what happens in primary influences secondary. | Lesley Butterworth, general secretary of National Society for Education in Art and Design (Nsead), says that the A-level curriculum for art, craft and design should be broad and balanced, but adds: "I don't think we can just look at one phase and its qualifications as a standalone. Formal education can be seen as a pipeline: what happens in early years will influence primary, what happens in primary influences secondary. |
| "The reform of KS4 qualifications and the reform of the curriculum will influence the number of students seeking to do A-level and of course the skills, knowledge and understanding they bring to that A-level course." | "The reform of KS4 qualifications and the reform of the curriculum will influence the number of students seeking to do A-level and of course the skills, knowledge and understanding they bring to that A-level course." |
| Butterworth points to an Nsead survey carried out in March 2013 which found 44% of schools reported a 35-53% reduction in young people studying art, craft and design at GCSE level. | Butterworth points to an Nsead survey carried out in March 2013 which found 44% of schools reported a 35-53% reduction in young people studying art, craft and design at GCSE level. |
| Arts organisations welcomed education secretary Michael Gove's decision to withdraw his plan to replace GCSEs with the EBacc qualification, a move they feared would marginalise creative subjects. | Arts organisations welcomed education secretary Michael Gove's decision to withdraw his plan to replace GCSEs with the EBacc qualification, a move they feared would marginalise creative subjects. |
| • This article has been amended on 29 April 2013. The original article failed to clarify the relationship between the University of the Arts and the content we produce about studying art. This is spelled out below. | |
| • The Guardian's Studying Arts and Design section is supported by funding from University of the Arts London. All editorial is independent of the sponsor. |