MATSEC AM Art exam-day guide
MATSEC AM Art · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirmation letter and timetable
Print the statement of entry or timetable showing the paper code, date, start time, and venue. Re-read it the night before: practical papers often start earlier than written papers and may run across one or more sessions. If your entry details are unclear, confirm with the provider (MATSEC Examinations Board via your school) rather than guessing.
Valid photo identification
Bring the ID document specified in your registration (usually a passport, ID card, or school-issued candidate card). Keep it in the same bag pocket every day. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a signature is required.
Approved materials and media list
Check the syllabus and your teacher's guidance for the permitted media for your chosen option (for example drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, or digital work). Bring only what the specification allows. Any material not clearly listed should be confirmed with the provider in advance.
Your own tools and equipment
Bring the tools you have practised with: pencils, brushes, palette, water container, rags, cutting tools, modelling tools, or sewing kit as relevant. Label everything with your name. Do not assume the venue supplies specialist equipment.
Supporting preparatory work if permitted
Some practical options allow preparatory studies, sketchbooks, or source imagery to be brought in or submitted. Confirm with the provider exactly what may be brought into the examination room, what must be handed in beforehand, and whether annotation is allowed.
Protective clothing and cleanup kit
Apron or old shirt, plus cloths, paper towels, and a bag for waste. Practical rooms are shared spaces and cleanup time may be included in the session. Wear clothes that can get marked.
Water, snack, and any medication
Long practical sessions can run several hours. Bring a sealed water bottle and a quiet snack if the provider permits food in the room, plus any prescribed medication. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed at the workspace.
Watch or silent timer
A simple non-smart watch helps you pace the session without relying on a wall clock you cannot see. Smart watches and phones are normally not permitted at the workstation; confirm with the provider.
Plan for transporting wet or fragile work
Bring a sturdy folder, board, or box so wet paintings, clay pieces, or prints can be carried without damage. Ask in advance how and when finished work is collected or photographed.
Know the venue, route, and arrival time
Do a practice journey or check transport times. Aim to arrive well before the start so you can set up. Confirm with the provider the earliest time candidates may enter the room.
Rest and materials check the day before
Lay out everything the night before, sharpen pencils, clean brushes, check supplies, and get an early night. Avoid starting a completely new technique or medium on the day.
Backup plan for a problem
Save your school's and the provider's contact details in case of illness, transport failure, or missing equipment. If something goes wrong, tell the invigilator immediately and ask what to do; confirm with the provider how incidents are recorded.
Plan the day
Re-read the practical paper requirements and the assessment criteria for your option. Do short timed rehearsals (for example 30-60 minutes) using the exact media and tools you will bring, so you know drying times, how much space you need, and how long setup and cleanup take. Finalise your composition or design intentions and a simple time plan: roughly the first part for setting up and blocking in, the middle for developing the work, and the last part for resolving, checking against the criteria, and cleaning up. Check that all materials are in good condition and buy or borrow anything missing now, not on the morning.
Pack your bag completely: ID, confirmation, tools, protective clothing, cleanup kit, water, snack, and transport materials for the finished work. Label your equipment. Confirm the start time, venue, and arrival instructions. Do not begin an ambitious new experiment; instead review your sketchbook or preparatory studies and decide your first twenty minutes. Eat properly, avoid late-night cramming, and sleep. If you feel unwell, contact your school or the provider immediately to ask about the procedure, since special arrangements usually depend on prompt notification.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early with time to spare. Set up your workspace methodically: arrange tools in the order you will use them, fill water containers, secure your support or board, and check lighting and sightlines. Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions, check that you have the correct paper or support and that your name or candidate number is completed as instructed, and note the official finish time. Start with a brief, calm planning pause rather than rushing into marks you may regret.
Work to your time plan but stay flexible. Block in the main structure early, then develop the areas that carry the most marks according to the criteria, which typically reward observation, control of media, composition, and evidence of personal response and development. Step back periodically to check proportion, tone, and overall unity. Keep your workspace safe, especially with cutting tools or wet media, and never borrow another candidate's materials without the invigilator's permission. Reserve the final portion for resolving the work and cleaning up, and hand in exactly what is required, labelled as instructed. If you finish early, use the time to refine rather than to add unrelated elements.
Rules to check
Bring valid photo identification and your statement of entry, and place them on the desk if instructed. Candidates without acceptable ID may be referred to the provider; confirm with the provider what happens in that case.
Follow all instructions from the invigilator. Do not begin work before the signal to start and stop immediately when told. Continuing to work after time is called can be treated as misconduct.
Phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices must normally be switched off and stored away unless the specification explicitly permits them for your option. Confirm with the provider the rules for reference images or digital devices.
Bring only permitted materials. Do not share, borrow, or exchange equipment, and do not bring in preparatory work or source material unless the specification allows it. If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, ask before the session begins.
All work must be your own, produced under examination conditions. Do not copy from another candidate or from material brought in contrary to the rules; suspected misconduct is reported and can lead to the paper being cancelled.
Breaks and access to toilets are usually supervised and may not extend your working time. Raise your hand and wait for the invigilator. Confirm with the provider whether supervised rest breaks are available and how they affect timing.
Label your work exactly as instructed (name or candidate number, paper code, and any required title or annotation). Unlabelled work may not be attributed to you. Ask the invigilator if the labelling instructions are unclear.
Practical work is assessed against the published assessment criteria, and marking may involve internal assessment moderated by the MATSEC Examinations Board. Keep to the required number of pieces or outcomes and the specified media; confirm with the provider any details about submission, collection, or photography of finished work.