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We asked the students what they would like you to know before you start!
They said the AFY requires a lot of hard work and commitment but is worth it … you do things you never knew you could!
Have fun with the summer holiday tasks … let loose and be inventive … this is what’s valued.. Don’t try to please or second guess what staff are looking for!
Its all very experimental …about seeing what happens and taking risks …
“You don’t have to have done art or a creative subject at A level to do well!…in fact at times it was a disadvantage as I spent too long on trying to come up with an outcome…whereas I needed to be more focused on almost exhausting an idea rather than creating a final outcome.”
‘it doesn’t matter what background you come from, you don’t have to be highly skilled in every aspect!’
‘….you don’t have to make the choice and be set on it from the start of the year…you can see where your strengths & interests lie and change at the end of the year…’
“this course is a lot different from other foundation courses…It’s helpful that things are spread out and mixed up rather than being ‘a week focused on a particular specialism’…”
The Arts Foundation Year provided an opportunity for me to return to formal education after a long break.
The programme allowed me to build skills and knowledge in preparation for my degree,
‘it was okay that I had no idea what course I wanted to do ….’
‘Have a very open mind and don’t be afraid to speak up and make mistakes.’
‘Expect to have you mind open to experiment with new skills. As the staff say, “Do not play safe”, this is the year of experimenting and explore various disciplines, so never think that what you are doing is time wasting because it will help you in future.’
‘FORGET A LEVEL!!! I often fell back into an a level way of thinking which really didn’t help me, it made my development process slower and I kept trying to create a ‘final outcome’.