ART & DESIGN - TEXTILE DESIGN GCSE

Exam Board: AQA

Course Overview / Introduction

The opportunities for developing creativity and a professional career by studying Textile Design are very wide, and they are not limited to the Textile industry only. The skills developed through the course, both technical and creative, can be easily transferred to other areas of life and work and they can be applied to a wide range of situations.

What will you study?

In Year 10 the students will learn a range of techniques and styles in textiles: sewing, printing, drawing and painting through a series of workshops and projects. They will also research artists’ and designers’ work and develop their own pieces. In Year 11 the students will continue to develop their own ideas and pieces to complete their Unit 1 (coursework) then they will start and complete their Unit 2 (exam unit). 

The students will explore work in one or more of several possible areas of textiles, such as: art textiles / fashion design and illustration / costume design / constructed textiles / printed and dyed textiles / surface patterns / stitched and embellished textiles / soft furnishings / textiles for interiors / digital textiles / installed textiles.

How many exams are there?

Unit 1 (60%): Coursework

In Year 10 and up to the end of the first term of Year 11, the students will explore, experiment, develop and complete work in their portfolio, through research, sketches, experimental pieces and refined final larger pieces based on given topics and supported throughout by the teacher. This will be completed by Christmas of Year 11 and will form 60% of the final grade.

Unit 2 (40%): Exam Unit

In January of Year 11, students are given their Externally Set Unit (ESA) paper and have 10 to 11 weeks to create a personal response to their chosen theme and to develop preparatory work. The ESA is then completed by creating a final piece during a 10 hours continuous and supervised time, in exam conditions, to form a portfolio of work and a final outcome. This will then form 40% of the final grade.

What will you gain from this course?

As well as technical skills, the students will be able to develop a creative approach and sensibility, along with a number of important life skills: creative thinking, problem solving, IT skills, research and analytical skills, time management, self-motivation, organisation and visual and verbal communication.

What does this lead to?

The creative industry is the single biggest industry in Britain and has been experiencing a shortage of professional figures for the last few years, particularly in areas like cinema, fashion, film and show business. Studying Textile Design can lead to opportunities in many different potential careers: students can progress to become buyers, costume designers, retail managers, tailors, upholsterers, fashion designers, textile technologists and more.

Staff Contact:

Miss T Wilhelmy,
Head of Creative Arts