Many students start the course with little or no experience of producing photographic work. As a result, the first one and half terms is used as an opportunity to introduce students to a range of skills and techniques from photograms to macro photography and studio lighting. Students also complete a series of Theoretical Studies tasks designed to encourage them to think more about the context and meaning of work.

Students each choose a photographer whose work the like. Having identified a specific aspect of their chosen photographer’s work they then produce a body of work exploring that theme in variety of ways. Students are encouraged to avoid simply ‘copying’ the visual style of the photographer’s work and producing pastiches, but instead produce their own original imagery which explore similar concepts/intentions. Students then write their Personal Study essays (approx. 3000 words) on their chosen photographer.

Having completed their essays and responses (including a Personal Study Final Response – displayed in their exhibition), students develop their ideas further using their Final Responses as a starting point. This body of work culminates in their Practical Work Final Piece (displayed in their exhibition).

Students produce a body of work exploring a theme of their choice based on a given starting point provided by the exam board (Edexcel). At the end of a 12-week preparatory study period, students produce a Final Piece under examination conditions.