Blenheim – Key Stage Four Options Brochure 2014-15
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Textiles – GCSE
Head of Department: Mrs. D. Smith
Textiles GCSE – Edexcel
This is an exciting course where students learn mainly through practical skills.
This makes up 60% of the course and is supported by textiles theory – 40%. Activities in Year 10 are a
mixture of designing and making; completing a series of focused tasks and projects.
Task 1 is a basic skills program where students will learn about construction techniques, manipulation
and decoration of fabric.
Task 2 is a seven week task and introduces students to working with challenging fabrics, using the skills
learnt in task 1. Students will design and make an ‘upmarket’ Christmas stocking for their selected target
market group.
Task 3 provides an opportunity for students to use more advanced skills of corsetry. Students will design
and make either a Victorian reversible corset (which challenges the best of us and relies on a high level
of technical accuracy)or a seven piece corset, designed to develop their decorative skills. Alongside this
they will investigate the skills of colouring fabrics e.g. Batik and tie dyeing.
Projects titles are set by the exam board and often revolve around:
Context – natural forms, - product manufacture – fancy dress, accessories, interior design.
Context –children’s play – product manufacture – educational play mat, book, game, child’s play
outfit.
Context – environment – product manufacture – outfit from recycled materials, storage solution
form recycled materials
Parents
can help by encouraging good organisation and meeting of all deadlines. It would also be helpful
to ensure fabric and components (thread, zips, buttons etc.) are purchased early in the Autumn term.
