GCSE at hampstead fine arts college

GCSEs

We founded Hampstead Fine Arts College as a specialist college for Art and History of Art in 1978 and introduced the full arts and humanities curriculum in 1982. A GCSE programme followed in the early 1990s, when Mathematics and Science were included in the wide choice of subjects.

All subjects are taught with the same expertise and enthusiasm by teachers who have a genuine love of their specialism, which they want to impart to their pupils. Our aim is to instill a love of learning in pupils of all ages.

Students come into Year 9/10 from a variety of schools, with a range of academic and creative abilities. Therefore, we assess each pupil individually to advise on the GCSE courses to be taken.

Students take up to ten subjects over one or two years, including English Language, Mathematics, Science, and at least one humanities subject, chosen from Ancient History, Modern History, Geography or Religious Studies. We also encourage pupils to take a foreign language, choosing from French, Spanish, Italian, German, or Latin. In addition, they can choose from a wide range of creative subjects, including Art, Photography, Music, Media, and Drama. We also offer drama, music, and singing lessons outside the examination subjects.

Beyond the academic, the College fosters personal development through a rounded PSHCE course, a changing programme of weekly afternoon sports, and talks by outside speakers. All students see a personal tutor each week to monitor academic progress and address any concerns.

"A wide range of subjects is offered at both GCSE and A-level, although the school continues to enjoy a reputation as a specialist arts college."
Good Schools Guide, 2023
Universities & Careers

Most students progress to higher education either at top academic institutions or leading art colleges. We host regular talks on higher education options and future careers. We advise and help students complete their university and art school applications for institutions in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, and Australia.

Hampstead Fine Arts College became part of Dukes Education in 2015, and our students benefit from careers advice from Dukes Education’s team of Oxbridge and US admissions specialists. Students who wish to follow academic courses are regularly accepted to study at Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, LSE, King’s College, the Courtauld Institute, St Andrews, Edinburgh, York, Bristol, and Leeds. The most popular destinations for our art students are Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, Camberwell, and Kingston. Our leading American destinations are Parsons, Pratt, NYU, and Cal Arts.

Students flourish in future careers in film, fine art, fashion, creative writing, the media, and academia, amongst others. Whatever FAC students go on to do, an education at Hampstead Fine Arts College provides a strong foundation for forging a distinctive career in a changing and competitive world.