Why Berkhamsted? Is it for our Art Scholarships?

Our Year 12 Art Scholarships build on our varied and dynamic Art curriculum to expand scholars’ skills and experiences beyond the classroom. With opportunities to undertake independent projects in any area of their choice, scholars can build their personal portfolio to tailor their applications to universities and apprenticeships.

For Ting Z, an Art Scholar and Year 13 student at Berkhamsted, the transition from GCSE to A Level marked the beginning of a new and exciting creative process. She joined Berkhamsted in Year 12 and began her Art course with an introductory project which allowed her experiment with lots of different artistic media. “I was really into abstract art at that point,” she says. “At GCSE I mainly focused on still life, but at A Level we could turn our projects into something more abstract, more interesting.” She describes how that first project changed her mindset towards art: “At A Level you have to go deeper, consider more concepts, and do more research.”

As an Art Scholar, Ting had the opportunity to conduct further independent research into areas outside of the A Level curriculum. She developed an interest in fashion from a young age and was eager to explore the different career opportunities within the industry – an interest that her teachers helped to nurture over the course of her time as a scholar. “I wasn’t sure whether I liked designing or styling clothes until I went on a short course that was recommended by teachers,” she says. “It was a fashion styling and communications course, which made me realise that I wanted to go down the more practical, designer route.”

Ting’s experience demonstrates the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone and engaging with extra-curricular activities and courses (even though, in this case, the course helped her to decide what she didn’t want to do!) The opportunities provided by the Art Scholarship helped her narrow down her interests and proceed with an independent project that was related to fashion design, with the view to building a portfolio for university applications.

“As a scholar, you have to complete two independent projects,” she says. “My first project was focused on punk, as I’m interested in Vivienne Westwood.” Ting experimented with remaking and repurposing fabric, learned how to do paper pattern cutting, modified jeans into a punk style, and even made a dress. “It was pretty special to properly make a dress that fits a person,” she says. “I asked a friend to help fit the garment, and when I saw it on her I thought – wow!”

Ting was able to draw on Berkhamsted’s extensive art facilities to help her undertake her independent project. She used the School’s sewing machines and large collection of fabrics to make her dress, and drew on the specialist knowledge of the Art Department. “My teachers offered lots of suggestions, which is great because they all come from different backgrounds. One came from a fashion background which was really helpful.”

Berkhamsted’s Art Scholarship programme provides many opportunities for students to broaden their skills and demonstrate an engagement with Art to potential employers or universities. “We [the Scholars] have run art workshops for a local prep school and for Berkhamsted Year 9 pupils to get them interested in art,” Ting explains. “The other scholars specialise in painting and drawing, whereas I’m focusing on fashion, so we have lots of different skills to share.” The leadership roles available for scholars help develop soft skills in confidence and communication that shape students into ambassadors for their subject, both within our community and beyond.

Now at the end of Year 13, Ting has an offer to study Fashion at Kingston University. “Berkhamsted really helped me prepare for university,” she says. “You need to recognise that projects at university are independent, and these projects taught me lots of time management skills! I was able to explore my interests outside of the A Level curriculum, and it definitely made me feel more prepared for the future.”

While Ting is pursuing her dream of becoming a fashion designer, it’s clear that Art A Level can open many different doors. “All of us are doing different things,” she says of her cohort. “Some are going into Product Design, some are going into Architecture – everyone is doing something different. It’s not all Fine Art, you can end up doing lots of different things. Art can take you anywhere.”