Year I 

 

Girls learn how to use a sewing machine for basic skills and are taught hand embroidery stitches. They also learn about different fabrics and how they are constructed. Work pieces include: 

 

Making a piece of felt

A bean bag toy

An alphabet tile

 

Year II

 

Girls develop their skills and concentrate on using a sewing machine over its full range of stitches and working with a wide range of materials. They learn new embellishment and decoration techniques as well as construction. Work pieces include: 

 

Making a buttonhole

Silk screen printing

Appliqué

Making a child's fleece rucksack

Making a printed and quilted silk purse

 

Year III 

 

Work this year concentrates on fashion design and girls are given more freedom to experiment with their own ideas. They are taught in detail about the construction and performance of various fibres and fabrics and also more decoration techniques. Girls use computerised sewing machines to produce embroidery and learn about industrial design and manufacturing processes to aid them in their own work. The items made this year are a small decorative cushion cover and a skirt of their own style and design. 

 

The GCSE course follows the AQA syllabus.

 

Year IV  

 

Class work concentrates on the development of practical skills, while prep focuses on theory. 

 

Year V

 

The focus now switches to the coursework project which is worth 60% of the final grade. Girls produce a textile item of their own choosing. This is accompanied by documentation explaining the design and production processes. Revision and preparation for the written paper occupies much of the last term of lessons.

 

Girls follow the Art and Design OCR syllabus at AS & A2 levels.  Each component of the girls' work relates to textile design in some form.

 

AS Level

 

Girls are required to develop two different research projects, commonly a three dimensional project and a print project.  These bodies of work enable girls to explore ideas at a more individual level and to experiment with a variety of new textile techniques.  The critical studies component is supported by personal research into a chosen theme or area, and illustrated in a complimentary style.  This forms the personal investigation.  In the summer term girls select a controlled test topic and work in a more independent manner to create a collection of developed ideas.

 

A2 Level 

 

The course draws on the experience gained at AS. The girls are required to produce one main research project. This enables them to work independently at greater depth and with more refinement than at AS level.  The personal study is a more advanced form of the critical study undertaken at AS. Finally, girls prepare and undertake a controlled assignment in the summer term over 15 hours.