FAQs

Portfolio to A Star is an independent educational website for GCSE and A Level Art & Design students. It provides free guidance about the Assessment Objectives, sketchbooks, portfolios and practical development, together with an optional paid portfolio-feedback service.

Your work is reviewed by Ian Bradbury, a retired Art & Design teacher with more than 40 years of experience teaching students aged 11–18. The advice is based on extensive classroom, assessment and curriculum experience.

The guidance is intended mainly for GCSE and A Level students working in Fine Art, Photography and Graphic Communication. Much of the advice about AO1, AO2, AO3 and AO4 is also useful across other Art & Design specialisms.

The four Assessment Objectives are broadly shared across the main UK examination boards, but course requirements and marking arrangements can differ. You should always follow the specification, project brief and instructions supplied by your school or college. Where relevant, your report will take the examination board and course level you provide into account.

No. The educational pages and free art resources can be used without purchasing a review. The paid service is available when you want feedback directed specifically at your own work.

You will receive one written feedback report by email. It will identify strengths, explain limitations, comment on the Assessment Objective or Objectives purchased, give an informed indication of the work’s current standard and set out prioritised, practical next steps.

Yes. You can purchase feedback on one, two, three or all four Assessment Objectives at either GCSE or A Level. Select the option that matches the areas in which you need the most help.

The report may give an informed estimate of the standard currently demonstrated, but it cannot award, guarantee or replace an official grade. Final marks and grades are determined through your school or college and the relevant examination board.

No. This is a one-off written feedback service. It does not include telephone or video calls, live tuition, direct messaging with a student or ongoing mentoring. One purchase covers one written report on the work submitted for that review.

Yes, but a later review of revised or additional work is a separate service and requires a new order. This allows each report to be based on the exact work supplied at that stage.

The price depends on whether the work is GCSE or A Level and on the number of Assessment Objectives selected. Current prices are shown clearly on the Get Feedback page before you pay.

Payment is handled securely through PayPal. Select the appropriate review, complete the required details, agree to the Terms and Conditions and then use the PayPal button to pay. Any payment options available to you will be shown by PayPal during checkout.

A parent, guardian or other responsible adult must make or authorise the purchase for anyone under 18. The service provides one written report by email and does not involve private live contact with a student.

The cancellation period gives you 14 days in which to change your mind about the online service. Review work begins only after this period has ended. Please read the Cancellation and Refund Policy and the Terms and Conditions linked on the website for the full arrangements.

Your review will begin after the 14-day cancellation period. Your written report will then be sent by email within the following 14 days. You should therefore allow up to 28 days from purchase, provided that all required files and information have been uploaded successfully.

After successful payment, you will be directed to a confirmation page where you can upload your files. Once the upload is complete, you will receive confirmation that the files have been received and that the review will begin after the cancellation period.

Files should be supplied in PDF, PNG, JPG or JPEG format. PDF is particularly useful when you need to keep several pages in the correct order. Physical sketchbooks or portfolios cannot be posted for review.

Use bright, even lighting and keep the camera parallel to the page or artwork. Make sure images are sharp, correctly orientated and free from glare or deep shadows. Include enough detail for annotation and practical work to be read clearly, and arrange pages in the order in which they should be considered.

Your submitted files and personal information are handled for the purpose of providing the service and in accordance with the website’s Privacy Policy. Student work will not be published, shared as an exemplar or used for promotional purposes without separate permission.

Please email help@portfoliotoastar.co.uk with your name, the type of review selected and a brief description of the problem. If payment has already been made, include the PayPal transaction reference, but do not send passwords or financial information.