Unit 2: Personal Investigation
which is made up of two integrated parts:
Part 1. A major in-depth critical, practical and theoretical investigative project/portfolio.
Part 2. An extended written element of between 1000 and 3000 words which must clearly
relate to the practical work.
• The Personal Investigation will be internally determined through discussion between
teacher and learner, teacher assessed and externally moderated.
• Both practical and written elements will be assessed together.
• No specified time limit, but the Externally Set Assignment will be available from 1
February in the year of the examination.
The design of the Personal Investigation should enable learners to experience an integrated
process which meets all Assessment Objectives.
It should also reflect the holistic nature of art and design to allow all learners to engage with
Contextual understanding (AO1), a range of resources, media, materials, techniques and
processes (AO2), Reflective recording (AO3) and creative, personally-informed responses
(AO4).
Unit 3: Externally Set Assignment
which is made up of two parts:
Part 1: Supporting studies/preparatory work based upon learner selected externally set
stimulus.
• Responses should take the form of critical, practical and theoretical preparatory work
which informs and relates to part 2.
Part 2: 15 hour period of sustained focus work, in which the learner brings his/her work to a
conclusion under supervised conditions.
• Teacher assessed and externally moderated.
• Both parts will be assessed together.
• Start and finish dates to be determined by the centre, taking into account the 31 May
deadline.