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Photography A Level

  • 3

    Level
    Level 3

  • Duration
    2 years

  • Start Date
    September 2025

  • Venue
    City College Norwich campus

  • Course Code
    SA059

Start Date

  • September 2025, Full Time, Day

Summary

By exploring themes such as ‘Light’, ‘Capturing the Moment’ and ‘The Truth’, this course will teach you digital and traditional darkroom photography skills, how to express yourself and communicate ideas through photographs and how to understand different layers of meaning in images.

As part of the course, you will visit galleries and exhibitions – locally and in London. These have included The Tate Modern, The Haywood Gallery, The Victoria & Albert, The Royal Academy, The Photographers’ Gallery, The Whitechapel Gallery, The Sainsbury Centre in Norfolk and the Norwich Castle Museum.

Each year there is also a visual arts trip abroad to a city renowned for its artistic heritage. Recent destinations have included Amsterdam, Paris and New York.

Each year there is an annual Visual Arts Show, where Art, Photography and Textiles students show their best work in a gallery-style environment, open to the public.

To succeed you will need curiosity, independence and initiative, and have an eye for a good picture. You will be willing to develop ideas and to investigate and analyse images and you will be persistent and hardworking.

The course is taught in a well-equipped, specialist room, with PCs and printers for your digital work and access to a large, well equipped traditional darkroom. We provide the essential materials for the course, including digital SLR cameras though it may be a benefit if you have your own.

Photography can be taken with any subjects, but students often choose to combine it with other visual disciplines such as; Art, Film Studies or Media Studies.

Why Our College?

Top 25%

nationally for progress made by students in A Level achievement

ALPS Key Stage 5 progress data 2018

Student success

We have a consistently high A Level pass rate. In 2018, 70% of our students achieved A*-C.

More than A Levels

Your time at our sixth form is about much more than gaining a qualification. You will be treated as an adult and an individual, supported to explore your passions and interests.  

Entry Requirements

Applicants should have a minimum of a grade 5 in a GCSE Art-based subject (Art, Graphics, Photography or Textiles) OR a suitable portfolio of work.
Applicants should also meet the overall Sixth Form entry requirements.

Assessment

A range of practical work including experiments contained in a work journal, finished pieces of coursework and a response to a theme set by the exam board. A written personal study investigating ideas in photography.

Progression

Previous students have progressed onto prestigious university courses such as Goldsmith’s, Central Saint Martin’s, London College of Fashion, Falmouth, Ravensbourne, Glasgow…to name but a few.
An A Level in Photography can lead to related courses at a college, art school or university.

Career Progression

Students may go on to a very wide range of creative careers, such as in art and design or the media.

Fees

If you are a UK or home fee status student and aged 16-18 on the 31st August before the start of your course, tuition fees are free. If you are aged 19 and over please contact the Advice Shop

Where Next?

Why Our College?

Top 25%

nationally for progress made by students in A Level achievement

ALPS Key Stage 5 progress data 2018

Student success

We have a consistently high A Level pass rate. In 2018, 70% of our students achieved A*-C.

More than A Levels

Your time at our sixth form is about much more than gaining a qualification. You will be treated as an adult and an individual, supported to explore your passions and interests.