Reflecting on my First Year of Learning and Exclusive Opportunities with AHLU

Around this time last year, my mum sent me a link to AHLU's Art History A Level and EPQ programme with the caption "Interested?". I had never studied the subject before (I hadn't even done Art GCSE) but I have always loved History and the National Portrait Gallery, so I thought I'd give the EPQ programme a shot. Eventually I decided I loved it enough to do the A Level too, which has given me the opportunity to partake in insightful discussions about identity, what makes art avant-garde and more (with a healthy dose of feminist and decolonial critique)!

I started the year off as an online student, but began to attend in-person at the Courtauld in July. I have found both learning experiences equally valuable and academically stimulating. The tutors are full of insight, and guide the conversation, and they are also all approachable and compassionate teachers.

As someone who has always attended a state school, I would never otherwise have had the chance to formally study Art History at GCSE or A Level, and I am very glad I encountered AHLU. I would like to stress two things to any prospective students: firstly, that AH4E is rewarding, and secondly, that it is relaxed. I was initially concerned about balancing four A Levels and an EPQ, but AHLU has been extremely accommodating (more so than I find my school to be)

The A Level sessions  are only two and a half hours a week – including a complimentary snack break if you attend in-person - and you can always use the recordings to catch up or refresh your knowledge. The EPQ is (as you'd imagine) very student-led, but the tutors are always there to support, and you are matched with an expert mentor. I often find overlap between themes I study in the A Level and those I'm analysing in my EPQ.

AHLU students and alumni are regularly offered art-related opportunities, for example boosted access to AHLU partner Christie's auction house summer work experience and their award-winning apprenticeship programmes, tour guide experience at Apsley House and the Christie's Education x AHLU Scholarship Award competition for current students, for which this year's five winners received Macbook Neos and free access to Christie’s courses.

This July I was extremely privileged to be accepted for a legal work experience programme at Christie's London headquarters. I have always wanted to get legal experience (which is notoriously difficult to attain without connections) and it didn't disappoint. My favourite part of the two days was definitely presenting our conclusions on the de Dozsa Madonna and Child case, where we applied the knowledge we had accumulated on Limitation Act 1980 and the rights of good faith buyers. Considering the moral argument was quite similar to discussions I've had in class, it solidified my aspiration to be a solicitor one day. I'm immensely grateful to all the staff at AHLU for making these opportunities happen.

Jasmine, AHLU Student

Jasmine is a current AHLU student, entering the second year of our Art History for Everyone EPQ and A Level Programme for state school students, taught online and in-person at the Courtauld, Somerset House, on term-time Saturdays.

Find out more and apply for our Art History for Everyone A Level and EPQ Course here: https://www.arthistorylinkup.org/programmes/art-history-epq

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