What are the entry requirements?

A minimum of five GCSE subjects at Grade 4 or above. A grade 4 or above in an Arts GCSE preferable but not essential.

How will I be assessed?

Component	Method of Assessment	%
Coursework	Internally set, Internally marked, Externally moderated	60%
Externally Set Assignment	Externally set, Internally marked, Externally moderated	40%

 

What extra work can I do?

You are expected to keep up to date with current exhibitions by visiting galleries and making sketches and studies in your sketchbooks.

The Art department has very high expectations - we believe that every student has the potential to be creative in a personal and meaningful way. Learning how to become a fully functioning textile artist is hard work but also a lot of fun!

What skills will I learn?

The Art and Design Textiles course offers exciting opportunities to extend your skills in textile design. You will gain a thorough understanding of the following essential techniques: felting, weaving, knitting, silk screen, block and monoprinting, mark-making, drawing, machine embroidery, papermaking, dyeing, batik, rusting, scorching, sculptural basketry techniques, pleating and steaming. Enjoy working a variety of colour palettes from muted tones through to zesty colours. Explore the formal elements of tone, scale and proportion in design through hands on making and manipulation of materials. You are taught how to create a sketchbook and how to capture and develop your ideas. We explain how to design your page layout, learn the terminology for recording techniques and analysing samples. You will have weekly individual tutorials where we support and guide your learning, working with you as a creative individual to extend you own practice. Your textile creations are placed in a wider context by studying practitioners’ work and learning from their techniques and processes; thus enriching your own work and understanding. During the course we run trips to the Victoria & Albert Museum, New Designers, London, New York and Paris. The course culminates in an annual end of year show for upper sixth students, as part of the Godalming College Arts Festival. This proves inspirational to the lower sixth students and provides an exciting end and showcase for the upper sixth year.

What is the department like?

The Art Department is situated in a new well equipped, purpose built complex consisting of three specialist rooms. The textile room is a fantastic light and airy studio well equipped with 18 sewing machines, looms, a batik area and printing facilities.

 

Please be aware that the department recommends a voluntary contribution of £36 per student per year for each Art & Design subject they study to help with the cost of extra materials.  This works out at roughly £1 per week.

What are the progression routes for this qualification?

The majority of our students go on to further study on Art Foundation courses and have been highly successful in their applications straight onto degree courses from A level. Previous alumni have continued on to study degrees in textile design, fashion design, surface pattern, fashion marketing, ceramics, applied arts, graphic design, embroidery, makeup and prosthetics for film and television, costume design and jewellery. 

The diversity of our course makes it ideally suited if you are intending to go on to study in a more specialized area of art and design. It is an excellent pre-degree course and will provide you with rich and vibrant portfolio work.