Design & Technology: Fashion & Textiles A level

Entry requirements

An average point score of 4.5 to access courses at KWS Sixth Form.
Ideally you will have studied an Art and Design course or a Design & Technology course at GCSE.

It is not essential to have ever used a sewing machine before.

Course outline

This is a two-year A-level course designed to enable students to explore textile-based art and design, focusing on personal and creative development through both practical and contextual investigation. Learners will cover a wide range of techniques and applications, including fashion, fashion textiles, costume design, digital textiles, printing, dyeing and fabric manipulation techniques. The aim is to foster a critical and reflective understanding of both traditional and contemporary textile practices, including their cultural, social, environmental, and ethical contexts. It is our intention that you build a portfolio of work for to show for potential creative careers in the future. This course can be used to further your design education through higher education and for employment in a wide range of areas.

Course content

AQA Advanced level Art & Design : Textiles design (601/4456/7)

Learners in this subject will begin Year 12 refreshing and building upon their basic skills, as a class. Enhancing their skills with sketching, fashion and textiles illustration, sewing machines, printing and dyeing methods. They will work with materials and fibres to create interesting visual effects and storyboards. This body of work and skills is designed to prepare learners for their assessed project called a ‘personal investigation’, which they start after the first term typically. This is an extended research, design and make project based on an area of their own personal interest and carries though into Year 13.

The second part of the course is a second research, design and make project. This time learners must choose from a range of starting points given by the exam board. This second project culminates in a 15 hour in class, practical exam where students will create the final piece that they have designed through the project.