The Foundation Year, run by the Royal Drawing School, is a one year accredited skills-based course with five days teaching per week. Limited to 50 places, the School ensures one-to-one tuition, with a supportive learning environment in an inspiring part of London’s Docklands buzzing with creatives and artist studios. This intensive course helps students to develop the making and thinking skills needed for the next level of study and provides a route to a number of creative disciplines. The School awards a minimum of 50% of students a scholarship or fee reduction every year.

The structure of the course progresses from set assignments towards self-directed study. The course is full time, with five days’ teaching a week and consists of three stages, during which students develop skills in observation, research, media and independent thinking. Drawing underpins the structure of the course, complementing the many different media that students will be introduced to. During the first two terms students will have weekly life drawing sessions in the studio where they will draw from the unclothed model. There is a Contextual Studies component that runs throughout the year.

Building on the success of its first two years the main campus at Trinity Buoy Wharf has recently been expanded, with facilities split over three floors including well-lit teaching and sculpture studios, purpose-built drawing studio, Kiln and ceramics facilities, intaglio print room, photography darkroom, individual studio spaces, Apple Mac suite, reference art library and a common room and kitchen.

The Foundation Year is tailored to school leavers planning to go on to study an arts subject at university. The application process consists of two stages: submission of an online application form and digital portfolio and then the submission of a drawing exercise after which shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview. Places are awarded based on portfolio and interview. Candidates should express a curiosity for looking at the world around them through drawings made directly from observation as well as drawings made from photography. Other Pieces should demonstrate an ability to work across a range of materials, media and sizes.