100+ Free CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Practice Questions
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Key Facts: CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Exam
60% + 40%
Component 1 controlled portfolio/learning file is 60%; Component 2 Working to a Brief is 40%
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) specification
AO1–AO3 33.3%
Each assessment objective carries one-third of the overall qualification
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) specification
90 + 60 marks
Component 1 is 90 marks (66 portfolio, 24 learning file); Component 2 is 60 marks
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) specification
45 hours min
Component 1 portfolio evidences at least 45 hours over four terms under informal supervision
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) specification
10 hour outcome
Component 2 final outcome is completed in 10 hours under controlled test conditions
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Component 2 instructions
A* to G
Results reported A*–G including C*; U if below G
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) specification
0920 / 603/1947/1
Subject code 0920 and QAN 603/1947/1 for the 2017 Contemporary Crafts GCSE
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts subject page
Not MCQ
Official award is performance-based portfolio and practical brief—not a multiple-choice paper
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) specification
100 study Qs
Free original OpenExamPrep MCQs for knowledge practice only—not portfolio substitutes
OpenExamPrep
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts is a linear, performance-based NI GCSE (60% controlled portfolio/learning file + 40% externally set practical brief). Materials, techniques, processes, craft context, H&S and AO1–AO3 drive marks—not a pure MCQ paper. Use these 100 free study questions to revise knowledge only; still complete authentic portfolio and brief work for certification.
Sample CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1What is the main focus of CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts?
2Which materials does the CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts specification list as examples students may explore?
3How much of the final GCSE grade is Component 1 (Making: Exploring materials, techniques and processes) worth?
4How much of the final GCSE grade is Component 2 (Working to a Brief) worth?
5What two interlinked elements make up Component 1 controlled assessment?
6In Component 1, students must show exploration and increasing proficiency in at least how many different craft disciplines?
7Which technique is typically associated with ceramics?
8What does ‘throwing’ usually mean in ceramics?
9Which process joins metal pieces by melting a filler metal with a lower melting point than the base metals?
10What is a maquette in craft and design practice?
About the CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Exam
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts (2017) is Northern Ireland’s applied GCSE about making. Students explore properties and characteristics of materials—including ceramics, glass, metal, found and recycled materials, resins, textiles and wood—and develop traditional craft skills alongside contemporary interpretations, sustainable practice and new technologies. Component 1 (60%) is controlled assessment: an edited practical portfolio and a learning file covering practitioner research, creative industries awareness, health and safety, and business/employability options. Component 2 (40%) is an externally set Working to a Brief examination: project plan and preparatory work, a final craft outcome under controlled conditions, and a written evaluation. Both components are centre-marked and moderated by a visiting moderator. Assessment objectives AO1, AO2 and AO3 are equally weighted overall (33.3% each). Grades run A*–G. This free 100-question bank is an English multiple-choice study adaptation for terminology, materials knowledge, process decisions, professional context and criteria literacy. Strong disclosure: MCQs are not portfolio substitutes and do not award the GCSE.
Assessment
Linear GCSE (subject code 0920, QAN 603/1947/1, 120 guided learning hours). Component 1 Making: Exploring materials, techniques and processes — controlled assessment, internally marked, externally moderated by a visiting moderator (60%). Includes an edited portfolio of practical work (66 marks) and a learning file (24 marks); minimum 45 hours over four terms under informal supervision; exploration in at least two craft disciplines. Component 2 Working to a Brief — externally set examination, internally marked, visiting moderation (40%, 60 marks holistically against AO1–AO3). Minimum 14 h 30 min preparatory work including project plan; 10 hours controlled final outcome; maximum 30 minutes controlled written evaluation (~350 words). Overall AO weightings: AO1 33.3%, AO2 33.3%, AO3 33.3%.
Time Limit
Course typically spans two years of Key Stage 4. Component 1 portfolio: minimum 45 hours informal supervised making. Component 2: minimum 14 hours 30 minutes preparatory work; 10 hours controlled final making; up to 30 minutes controlled evaluation. Recommended study session for this 100-question bank: about 90–120 minutes. Official award time is workshop/portfolio time, not an MCQ clock.
Passing Score
Graded A* to G (including C*). No single raw pass mark; U (unclassified) if below G. Achievement is judged against AO1 (knowledge of materials, techniques, processes and professional contexts), AO2 (application in development and outcomes) and AO3 (resolving learning into developmental work and final outcomes).
Exam Fee
No fee is paid directly by students. Entry fees are paid by schools and registered centres; private candidates are charged by the entering centre. (CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment), Northern Ireland)
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Exam Content Outline
Materials and craft disciplines
Material properties and selection across ceramics, glass, metal, jewellery/silversmithing, textiles, wood/furniture, stone, resins and found/recycled materials; working in at least two disciplines; interdisciplinary combinations.
Techniques and making processes
Hand-building and throwing, glazing and surface processes, textile construction and manipulation, metal forming and joining, wood construction and turning, glass hot/cold processes, sampling, maquettes, CAD and digital fabrication routes.
Professional context and sustainability
Practitioner research, creative industries pathways, sole trader and limited company models, bespoke and small-batch production, sustainable and ethical making.
Health, safety and workshop practice
Safe tool and equipment use, material hazards (heat, fumes, toxins, dust), kiln and chemical controls, regulations and procedures evidenced in the learning file.
Assessment, portfolio and Working to a Brief
Component weightings and timings; portfolio editing and annotation; project planning; preparatory work; controlled final outcome; written evaluation and QWC; AO1–AO3 criteria and authenticity/moderation.
How to Pass the CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Graded A* to G (including C*). No single raw pass mark; U (unclassified) if below G. Achievement is judged against AO1 (knowledge of materials, techniques, processes and professional contexts), AO2 (application in development and outcomes) and AO3 (resolving learning into developmental work and final outcomes).
- Assessment: Linear GCSE (subject code 0920, QAN 603/1947/1, 120 guided learning hours). Component 1 Making: Exploring materials, techniques and processes — controlled assessment, internally marked, externally moderated by a visiting moderator (60%). Includes an edited portfolio of practical work (66 marks) and a learning file (24 marks); minimum 45 hours over four terms under informal supervision; exploration in at least two craft disciplines. Component 2 Working to a Brief — externally set examination, internally marked, visiting moderation (40%, 60 marks holistically against AO1–AO3). Minimum 14 h 30 min preparatory work including project plan; 10 hours controlled final outcome; maximum 30 minutes controlled written evaluation (~350 words). Overall AO weightings: AO1 33.3%, AO2 33.3%, AO3 33.3%.
- Time limit: Course typically spans two years of Key Stage 4. Component 1 portfolio: minimum 45 hours informal supervised making. Component 2: minimum 14 hours 30 minutes preparatory work; 10 hours controlled final making; up to 30 minutes controlled evaluation. Recommended study session for this 100-question bank: about 90–120 minutes. Official award time is workshop/portfolio time, not an MCQ clock.
- Exam fee: No fee is paid directly by students. Entry fees are paid by schools and registered centres; private candidates are charged by the entering centre.
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts a multiple-choice exam?
No. Official assessment is performance-based: a controlled practical portfolio and learning file (Component 1, 60%) plus an externally set practical brief with preparatory work, a controlled final outcome and a written evaluation (Component 2, 40%). These OpenExamPrep MCQs are a study aid only and are not portfolio substitutes.
What is the structure of CCEA GCSE Contemporary Crafts?
It is a linear GCSE (subject code 0920, QAN 603/1947/1). Component 1 Making: Exploring materials, techniques and processes is controlled assessment (90 marks: 66 portfolio + 24 learning file). Component 2 Working to a Brief is the externally set examination (60 marks). Both are internally marked and externally moderated by a visiting moderator.
What are AO1, AO2 and AO3?
AO1 is knowledge and understanding of material properties/characteristics, making techniques and processes, and professional practice contexts. AO2 is applying skills, knowledge and understanding in developmental work and outcomes. AO3 is resolving learning through developmental work and final outcome(s). Each AO is 33.3% of the overall qualification.
How is Component 2 timed?
Students spend a minimum of 14 hours 30 minutes on preparatory work including a project plan, complete the final outcome in a set 10-hour controlled test, and write an evaluation of about 350 words in a maximum of 30 minutes under controlled conditions.
How is the qualification graded?
CCEA reports A* to G (including C*). Candidates below G are unclassified (U). There is no single fixed pass mark; performance is judged against the assessment objectives and mark criteria each series.
Can these practice questions replace my portfolio or brief?
No. Multiple-choice practice cannot demonstrate making skill, developmental sampling, authenticity under supervision, or visiting moderation. Use the bank to strengthen terminology and decision knowledge while you build Component 1 and Component 2 practical evidence for CCEA entry.
Are these official CCEA questions?
No. They are original OpenExamPrep single-best-answer study questions aligned to the 2017 specification’s content and assessment language. Download official papers, mark schemes and the specification from the CCEA website.