Overview

A GCSE in Art Textiles can lead towards many careers: from conservator to fashion designer, product buyer to interior designer, the list can go on and on as everything in life has had to be designed at some point! A creative mindset is also a desirable if not essential attribute for any successful career let alone your GCSE years. The course has no written exam! You will produce coursework projects and accompanying sketch books which will be made up of at least two extended projects, this is called a Portfolio of evidence. You will also produce a separate project, Externally Set Assessment, based on a starting point that the exam board gives you.

The course allows and encourages you to be creative, imaginative, expressive, and hardworking.

Topics covered

Assessments

Component 1 - Portfolio of work - Internally Assessed and moderated worth 60% Externally moderated by the exam board.

Must include a sustained project evidencing the journey from initial engagement to the realisation of intentions and a selection of further work undertaken during the student’s course.

• AO1 : develop your ideas through investigation informed by artists work demonstrating analytical understanding

• AO2 : refine your ideas through experimentation and selection of appropriate resources, materials and techniques

• AO3 : Quality recording skills of ideas, observations, insights relevant to your intentions

• AO4 : Present a personal response that is thoughtful and original – demonstrate your understanding and realise your intentions

Component 2 - Externally set task – Internally assessed and moderated and worth 40% Externally moderated by the exam board.

Preparatory period (January through to April) followed by 10 hours of supervised time. Students respond to their chosen starting point from an externally set assignment paper. Students produce artwork (sketch book/s and final outcome/s) that in turn provides evidence of all four assessment objectives.

• AO1 : develop your ideas through investigation informed by artists work demonstrating analytical understanding

• AO2 : refine your ideas through experimentation and selection of appropriate resources, materials and techniques

• AO3 : Quality recording skills of ideas, observations, insights relevant to your intentions

• AO4 : Present a personal response that is thoughtful and original – demonstrate your understanding and realise your intentions

FAQs

Do I need to be good at sewing already? 

• No. The most important thing is that you enjoy being creative, working with fabrics and have a passion for it!

• It's also important that you enjoy looking at the work of textiles artists, fashion designers and interiors, enjoy experimenting and coming up with your own ideas

Is there a lot of homework? 

• We do a lot of the practical at school so you'll only hav the writing to do at home and presenting but this will take your time up. Be prepared to work. Organisation is key!

Do I have to have my own working materials for Art Textiles?

• Yes but not right away. 

• Part way through Year 9 before we start the first GCSE, project you will have the opportunity to buy an Art Textiles Pack. You can of course get your own materials prior to this if you wish.

Is there much coursework? Is there an exam?

• It’s all coursework. As soon as you start in Year 9, all work that you produce goes towards your final GCSE grade in Year 11. This means though that there is no written exam. There is no revision, no sitting in the hall. There are 2 parts that make up your final grade:

’Portfolio of evidence' It is worth 60% of your final grade - (coursework)

'Externally Set Task' it is worth 40% of your final grade (a project set by AQA in Year 11 which you will then have 10 hours to create a final piece for but it's not as scary as it sounds) 

How is my work marked? 

Work is marked according to 4 assessment objectives (AO’s)

Briefly : 

• Analysing & responding (looking at the work of artists, designers etc and coming up with ideas) 

• Developing your ideas (experimenting with a variety of media and techniques) 

• Quality of everything you do

• Realising your intentions – being original and personal

Work is marked as a whole and is not done on individual pieces. I mark your work then send off the marks and the exam board then comes and checks the accuracy of my marking.

Students can only take Art OR Art textiles OR Photography due to coursework load.