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Latin continues to be offered, with classical civilisation and Greek – all useful adjuncts to history of art where we observed one of those lessons we wished we had had ourselves: Classicism v Brutalism – or the proportion and beauty of Palais Garnier versus the layered horizontal terraces of the National Theatre. Art is simply everywhere, including in the loo, where a print of Velazquez’ Rokeby Venus is the antidote to…

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What the school says...

Fine Arts College was founded in 1978 as an independent sixth form college specialising in the study of Arts and Humanities. Today the College offers a wide choice of subjects at GCSE and A level as well as a two-term Portfolio Course for students preparing for art school entry. The College is rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.

The College is located in a characterful part of Belsize Park with the main site situated in a secluded courtyard away from the bustle of the street. The courtyard buildings, originally a Victorian dairy, are modern and light-filled and comprise a series of lecture and tutorial rooms alongside art, drama and music studios. The College also houses specialist studios for photography and media studies nearby. Each of the tutorial rooms has its own extensive subject library including books, slides and DVDs.

The College functions on an ethos of mutual respect where an individuals talents and ambitions are encouraged and nurtured. For this reason the number of students is restricted to no more than 160, maintaining small class sizes and strong pastoral care for all students and ensuring an exceptional pass rate in exams. Virtually all students go on to higher education at a range of universities and art, music and drama schools.

Fine Arts College provides an opportunity for young people to study in a mature, open and stimulating atmosphere; a unique bridge between school and university.
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What The Good Schools Guide says

Principal

Principal Candida Cave (aka Candy, this is a first-name-terms school) clearly exudes the same art school elegance that she did when she founded the college with fellow artist Nicholas Cochrane in 1978: stylish, eccentric, with a timeless trademark bob. After studying painting at the Ruskin, she taught history of art and loved it. On the morning we visited, she had delivered an assembly on two abstract Rothko paintings and that evening was giving a gallery tour to adults, including parents, of the early modern collection at Tate Britain. ‘Learning is ongoing,’ she says, ‘and it is important that our students realise that it is a lifelong process.’

She has now handed over the day-to-day running of the school to her daughter Emmy, but is still the outward face of the school,...

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Please note: Independent schools frequently offer IGCSEs or other qualifications alongside or as an alternative to GCSE. The DfE does not record performance data for these exams so independent school GCSE data is frequently misleading; parents should check the results with the schools.

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Special Education Needs

Condition Provision for in school
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Aspergers
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
English as an additional language (EAL)
Genetic
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory
Has SEN unit or class
HI - Hearing Impairment
Hospital School
Mental health
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Natspec Specialist Colleges Y
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
PD - Physical Disability
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Special facilities for Visually Impaired
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
VI - Visual Impairment

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