Fashion and Textiles : A-level

This two-year course aims to both stretch and challenge students. It focuses upon the practical skills of making textile body forms and artefacts developing your visualising skills. It will provide you with the opportunity to explore fabric and paper construction techniques. You will be encouraged to look at both the functional and non- functional aspect of textiles and the purpose of textile design.

To enrol for an A level programme we normally expect applicants to have achieved good GCSE passes in at least six subjects, these must:

• demonstrate the suitability for Advanced Level study

• have been achieved at Grade 4/C as a minimum

• include two at Grade 5/B as a minimum

Mathematics - If not achieved within the scope of the above should normally be achieved at grade 3/D. If mathematics is not achieved at grade 4/C then it will be a requirement to continue to study at the correct level until a grade 4 is achieved. Subjects with a mathematical content will require a higher grade.

In addition to the standard College entry requirements (see below), this course normally requires a student to have achieved Grade 4 or above in a GCSE Art and Design course or Grade 4 in GCSE Design and Technology (Graphic Products or Resistant Materials). To fully support students who have gained a Grade 4 in GCSE in an Art and Design or Design Technology subject, or those who have not had the opportunity to study these subjects at GCSE, we will ask you to do a short drawing task as part of the enrolment procedure. This is to ensure you can successfully meet the rigours of the course. It would also be helpful for students to bring with them examples of their creative work on enrolment day.

The course is suitable for those students wishing to pursue a career in the fields of fashion & textiles, business and promotion, fashion communication & marketing, contour design, textile contemporary practice, printed textiles, fashion buying, fashion journalism, interior design and many other art and design related courses. Students wishing to progress to university can also progress onto a one-year Foundation Studies in Art & Design immediately after A-level.

What does the course combine well with?

This course also sits well with Business, English offering pathways to Fashion Journalism or Fashion Buying. Those students wishing to pursue an Art and Design career are advised to combine it with one or more other Visual Art Course.