Wallingford School

Photography

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GCSE Photography is a course which gives you a wide range of exciting and stimulating opportunities to explore your interests in taking and manipulating photographs. You will develop creative, imaginative and practical skills and also learn to appreciate photography produced in a range of different times and cultures.

The course will explore a range of methods of making photographs such as digital photography, darkroom photography and other techniques such as manual photograph manipulation, pinhole camera photography and storyboarding. Pupils will also study the ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions relevant to photography can be communicated including the use of colour, line, form, tone, texture, shape, pattern, composition, scale, sequence, surface and contrast.

Photography GCSE - Years 10, 11

Year 10, Terms 1-6
10.1

Foundations of Photography

  1. Composition: “Seeing Like a Photographer”
    Focus: Understanding how images are constructed
  2. Analysing Photographs: “Reading Images”
    Focus: Visual analysis and interpretation
  3. Camera Skills: “Understanding Your Camera”
    Focus: Technical basics
  4. Main Project: “Archisculpture – Wallingford”
    Focus: Architecture as composition
10.2

Developing Themes & Portraiture

  1. Architectural Composition
    Focus: Developing creative responses to architecture
  2. Portrait Project
    Focus: Introduction to portraiture
  3. Artist Study: Cindy Sherman
     Focus: Identity and self-representation, Students investigate Cindy Sherman’s work and themes of identity and disguise.
  4. Cindy Sherman Photoshoot
     Focus: Staged photography, Planning a meaningful response.
10.3

Mock Exam & Photo manipulation

  1. Artist Studies: David Hockney (Joiners); Jesse Draxler; John Baldessari
    Skills: Experimentation, conceptual thinking, mixed media
    Overview: Students explore different approaches to image-making and composition.
    Outcome: A series of experimental responses to each artist.
10.4

Experimental Processes

  1. Workshop: Light Painting
    Focus: Long exposure photography
    Skills: Shutter control, movement, creativity
  2. Workshop: Cyanotypes
    Focus: Alternative photographic processes
    Skills: Darkroom techniques, composition
  3. Artist Study: Josef Sudek
    Focus: Use of light and atmosphere
    Overview: Students explore subtle use of natural light.
10.5

Sustained Project – “Framing”

  1. Mock Exam Theme: Framing (Development)
    Focus: Sustained investigation
    Skills: Research, planning, refinement
    Overview: Students begin their main mock exam project. -Mind Map - Moodboard - Christopher Anderson - Alex Webb Research - School Photohoot (Doors & Windows)
10.6

Framing Project Continued

Focus: Refinement of ideas
Skills: Editing, selecting, improving work

  1. Photoshoots & Experimentation
    Focus: continued practical work
    Skills: Independent shooting, creative control, Students carry out further shoots. Based either on Laura Letinsky or their own independant photographers.
Year 11, Terms 1-6
11.1

Sustained Project – “Framing” Continued

  1. Framing Project Development
    Focus: Deepening ideas from Year 10
    Skills: Idea development, experimentation, refinement
  2. Techniques & Experimentation
    Focus: Expanding creative approaches Students trial different photographic and post-production techniques to enhance their work.
11.2

Refinement & Mock Exam

  1. Developing Final Piece Ideas
    Focus: Preparing for final outcome, Students begin shaping their strongest ideas into a final outcome, selecting their best work and refining it.
    Outcome: Final piece proposal (sketches, plans, contact sheets) Written rationale explaining intentions
  2. Year 11 Mock Exam
    Focus: Timed project under exam conditions
    Outcome: Final image or series
11.3

Externally Set Assignment (ESA) Begins

  1. Theme Selection & Initial Exploration
    Focus: Interpreting exam paper themes
    Skills: Idea generation, research, planning
    Overview: Students choose a starting point from the exam paper and begin exploring ideas.
    Activities: Mind maps and visual research, Initial photo shoots, Experimentation with composition and subject matter
    Outcome: A clear project direction with initial images and ideas.
11.4

ESA Development

  1. Artist Research & Responses
    Overview: Students research relevant photographers and produce work inspired by them.
    Outcome: Artist research pages, Written analysis, Planning responses
  2. Idea Development & Experimentation
    Students develop their project through:
    Further photoshoots
    Editing and manipulation
    Testing outcomes
11.5

ESA Finalisation & Exam

  1. Final Preparation
    Students finalise their ideas and prepare for their timed exam.
  2. Externally Set Assignment Exam
    Focus: Final outcome under timed conditions
    Overview: Students produce their final piece(s) during the official exam.
  3. Coursework Completion
    Any remaining lesson time is used to:
    Finalise coursework
    Improve presentation
    Complete annotations and evaluations
11.6 N/A

Photography A Level - Years 12, 13

Year 12, Terms 1-6
12.1

Technical Foundations & Workshops

  1. Exposure Triangle
    Focus: Understanding camera control
    Skills: Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, exposure balancing
    Outcome: Motion (shutter speed) Depth of field (aperture) Light levels (ISO)
  2. Practical Workshops & Mini Briefs - Lighting setups (natural and studio) - Long exposure photography - Depth of field control
12.2

Processes & Early Influences

  1. Digital Editing & Manipulation
    Focus: Post-production techniques
    Skills: Photoshop editing, layering, retouching, enhancement
  2. Physical Manipulation & Alternative Processes
    Focus: Hands-on image making - Cyanotypes - Physical manipulation (cutting, layering, collage) - Pinhole camera photography
  3. Artist Study: Eadweard Muybridge
    Focus: Movement and sequencing images
12.3

Mini Project – Zines & Photobooks

  1. Zine / Photobook Project
    Focus: Narrative and presentation
    Skills: Sequencing, layout, storytelling
    Overview: Students create a small photobook or zine exploring a chosen theme.
    Key Areas: Image sequencing Design and layout Narrative structure
    Outcome: A completed zine or photobook demonstrating a coherent visual narrative.
12.4

Personal Investigation Begins

  1. Starting Personal Investigation
    Focus: Independent project work
    Skills: Idea development, research, planning
    Overview: Students begin their Personal Investigation (coursework component), choosing their own theme.
    Activities: Mind mapping ideas Initial shoots Researching relevant photographers
12.5

Personal Investigation Development

  1. Sustained Investigation
    Focus: Developing ideas and techniques
    Skills: Experimentation, refinement, critical thinking
    Students expand their project through:
    Continued photoshoots
    Experimentation with techniques
    Stronger links to artist research
12.6

Personal Investigation & Mock Exam

  1. Continued Development
    Focus: Refinement and depth
    Skills: Editing, selection, thoughtful development
  2. End of Year 12 Mock Exam
    Focus: Timed response
    Skills: Independence, idea generation, execution
    Outcome: Final outcome + supporting preparatory work.
Year 13, Terms 1-6
13.1

Personal Investigation Refinement

  1. Developing Coursework
    Focus: Strengthening personal ideas
    Skills: Refinement, conceptual thinking, visual coherence
    Overview: Students refine their Personal Investigation, focusing on:
    Stronger conceptual links
    Improving technical quality
    Developing a clear visual style
13.2

Personal Investigation Finalisation

  1. Final Coursework Outcomes
    Focus: Completing coursework project
    Skills: Selection, presentation, evaluation
    Overview: Students finalise their Personal Investigation.
    Outcome: Final images Completed portfolio Written elements (analysis and evaluation)
13.3 ESA - Exam Project
13.4 ESA - Exam Project
13.5 ESA - Exam Project
13.6