A-Level
About
A Level Textiles is a highly creative, hands-on course offering students the opportunity to explore and experiment with a broad range of materials and techniques.
AS textiles is packed with a diverse range of exciting workshops covering processes such as machine & hand embroidery, fabric & yarn manipulation, printing & mark-making, knitting, weaving, crochet, paper & felt making. These skills are explored in response to the work of artists, designers and makers and are used to develop highly personal samples which allow students to follow their own strengths, interests and passions.
At A2 Level, students follow a more self-directed pathway, exploring their own strengths and areas of interest in personal projects. We have a very high percentage of students who progress on to study textiles based courses at university, so all are supported in completing a strong portfolio of work to showcase their skills and experience. Many go on to careers in fashion, costume and textiles design and are happy to come back in to college to give guidance and talk to students about their experiences.
Throughout the course there are opportunities for visits; the Whitworth Art Gallery with an excellent textile archive & Platt Hall Costume Museum are both on our door step. London Fashion Week allows students to research courses available within the fashion industry. Manchester and Salford Art Galleries and Manchester Museum have a wealth of visual resources which can be used to gather research. In the past students have visited Barcelona and New York to see exhibitions to enrich their own work.
Tutors on the course are practicing artists, who exhibit throughout the UK and maintain links with industry. Students benefit from this knowledge and experience in developing their understanding of careers in applied arts and textiles.
Some of our students are invited to work on a project with the F.A.D Charity, Fashion Awareness Direct, which forms links between students who are keen to follow a career in fashion, and industry professionals, to give them a better understanding of professional practice. The project culminates in a garment the have designed and made being shown on the catwalk in London Fashion Week.
We celebrate the work of all students at the end of the second year in a professionally presented exhibition, attended by family and friends, which highlights the hard work, determination and passion that students put into their textiles work.
Outline
The AS year is made up of two units, initially students are introduced to a broad range of techniques through a series of practical workshops, linked to a given theme. These techniques are then used to develop ideas, build on skills and conclude in a final outcome. The second unit is set externally, where students are given a starting point to research and develop ideas from, using skills and techniques they have learnt from their first unit. The exam is a timed 8 hour final piece, made under exam conditions.
A2 Students also complete 2 units; the first one is the personal project which provides the opportunity to take a more independent approach, devising their own project and building up specific textile techniques. Time is also given to presenting and preparing portfolios in preparation for going onto University. The second unit follows the same format as in the first year, concluding with a 12 hour timed final piece.
Assessment
For both AS and A2 Textiles, assessments take place throughout the year providing students with regular feedback on their progress. At the end of the year all work is marked internally against national grading criteria, and then by an external moderator from the examination board.
Progression
In both AS & A2 textiles excellent grades have been achieved and students pushed beyond their expectations. The course has been successful in placing a very large number of students onto a wide range of textile related degrees at university for example;
- Costume Design, Nottingham Trent University
- Surface Pattern, Leeds School of Art
- Fashion Design, Salford University
- Textiles in Practice, Manchester Metropolitan University
- Textiles, Glasgow School of Art
- International Fashion Promotion, Fashion Buying and Merchandising at MMU
- Fashion Marketing, University of Leeds
Code
TEX-ASL
Entry Requirements
3 Bs and 3 Cs at GCSE
creativeartspendleton 