Art & Design (Textiles) A Level

A minimum of 4 subjects at grade 5 or above at GCSE plus English Language at grade 4 or above. You should also have a grade 5 or above in either Art, Textiles or Graphics. We will also be happy to look at a portfolio of your work at your guidance discussion, and if you have the potential will offer you a place.

Students are given the opportunity to learn and develop a range of skills in relation to felt making, silk paper making, hand and machine embroidery, various methods of print and surface decoration, fabric manipulation, pattern cutting and garment construction. This is taught initially through a six week induction period at the beginning of the 1st year, and then through personal responses to unit themes and externally set assignments provided by the exam board.

Students produce a body of work for all units, following the art process from initial research and starting points, through development and experimentation towards a final response in the form of a finished piece. Alongside their development work, students research a range of relevant artists and designers to gain inspiration for their own creative ideas and themes. Students will also analyse existing designs, extracting techniques and methods of working, which can be mapped onto practical experimentations.

Students' studio-based practice is contextualised with educational visits to exhibitions of contemporary art alongside references to work in the College Gallery and the library's excellent facilities. Also, during the summer term students' outstanding achievements are celebrated in an exhibition of work at the end of year Creative Show.

The Textiles programme provides students with the opportunity to express themselves imaginatively and creatively using a range of media. It is a demanding course but very enjoyable and rewarding.

Additional costs
£25 payable at the start of each year of the course for a mandatory student kit, details of which will be given out at enrolment.

You will typically be in College four days per week, with lesson style varying according to subject. In-College delivery is supported by online resources, and students develop strong independent learning skills to equip them for their next steps.

This course combines well with most other A Levels although students should not study more than two of the Art and Design options as they are coursework-based subjects which require a lot of time and dedication.

In year one there are two coursework units and and in year two there are two coursework units.

Students are provided with regular feedback throughout the units, with detailed feedback at the end of each unit in relation to assessment objectives outlined by the exam board. It is important that students reflect on the feedback provided to improve their existing and future work and fulfil their potential.

Having an A Level in a creative subject is an essential starting point if students want to pursue Art and Design and apply straight to university. After completing their A Levels, students can apply to do a one year post-A Level Art and Design Foundation Diploma or apply directly onto higher education degree courses at York College or other institutions.

The Foundation Diploma Post Level 3 course helps students determine the most appropriate Art and Design degree specialism for them, and is offered at York College. Past students have successfully completed creative degrees at Nottingham Trent University, Edinburgh University, London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, and have gone on to study Fashion Marketing, Journalism or Merchandising.

Having this qualification enables students to progress to a more specialist area within Art and Design such as Advertising, Costume Design, Fashion Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Special Effects for Cinema, Photography, 3D Product Design, Sculpture, Textiles and more.