How should I improve my portfolio in order to achieve an A/A*?

In order to achieve the highest marks possible in A Level Fine Art, you must continuously make sure that you are hitting all of the Assessment Objectives (AOs) at different stages along your path. This can most successfully be done by literally describing each process of your research path as you go along in your coursework portfolio. One must be aware that to reach the highest tier, you need to meet the criteria "exceptionally." For instance, AO1 focuses the development of ideas. Showing a consistent path to take from one decision to the next is a key way of doing this. Filling your sketchbook with annotations that elaborate on your decisions, criticise your experimental work, and elaborate how you wish to improve or further your art, will pull together your ideas and literally spell out your creative process to an examiner. My exam title was "Trees"; I completely my research, experimentation and lead-up to my final piece on large boards. During the process of my work, I kept a break down of the Objectives close by. I made sure that each step of my work filled each subsection of each 'AO' at least twice, and evenly across the whole process. Where fulfilment of an objective was imbalanced, I would look to my coursework and find a way to elaborate on my work in a way that would 'tick the boxes'. I used a spreadsheet that I kept separate from my coursework as a means of keeping track of my work, and I intend to share said spreadsheet and means of a break-down with my students should they ask for advice.