At KS3, Art & Design work on a carousel system with Food Preparation & Nutrition. This means that every student gets to experience working with a range of materials/process. This carousel system includes Fine Art, Textiles, 3D and Food Preparation & Nutrition. Each year students will develop skills in the following areas of the design cycle; research, analysis, design, development, practical, testing and evaluation.KS3 aims to develop creative individuals and give them an excellent foundation for the GCSE course. 

Year 7  

This project introduces students to the creative and technical process of appliqué, using the vibrant and illustrative textile work of Carola Van Dyke as inspiration. Through this unit, students develop key skills in pattern creation, layering, and machine stitching, while learning how to translate artistic styles into textile outcomes. 

The project encourages students to explore formal elements of art and design, such as texture, shape, and colour, and apply these principles to their own work. By studying Van Dyke’s distinctive approach, students gain insight into how textiles can be used to build complex, expressive illustrations. 

As students progress, they learn how to thread and operate a sewing machine, experiment with different stitch types, and use tools like Bondaweb to enhance the quality and precision of their work. The appliqué process is broken down into manageable steps, allowing students to build confidence and refine their technique. 

This unit also supports creative independence. While students begin by closely following the artist’s style and assessment criteria, they are gradually encouraged to inject their own ideas into the design process. The project culminates in a 3D hand-sewn homework task, where students create a sock monster inspired by John Murphy, challenging them to move beyond 2D design and develop research and problem-solving skills. 

YEAR 8 

This rotation introduces students to the core methods of fabric construction, focusing on Woven, Knitted, and Non-Woven fabrics. Through hands-on exploration and cultural context, students gain a deeper understanding of how fabrics are made and used, laying a strong foundation for future GCSE coursework. 

Students begin by learning about woven fabrics, starting with the plain (tabby) weave. They create basic woven structures using looms and learn key terminology such as warp and weft. The unit expands into more advanced techniques like Soumak and Rya knots, allowing students to experiment with texture and yarn types. Industrial weaving is also explored to show how traditional methods scale up in modern manufacturing. 

Cultural significance is woven into the curriculum by examining global weaving traditions, helping students appreciate the historical and social importance of textiles across different communities. 

The rotation also covers non-woven construction methods, including macramé. Students learn knotting techniques by making friendship bracelets, which supports an extended homework project. This includes research into the history and uses of macramé, a study of textile artist Macrame Princess, and the creation of a product inspired by her work. The homework offers stretch and challenge, with a range of complexity to suit different learners. 

Students then explore felted fabrics, learning both wet felting and needle felting. They create their own felted textiles and apply machine stitching to enhance their work, revisiting and reinforcing skills from Year 7. Projects include multilayered felted balls turned into keyrings and a needle felted cactus, introducing students to 3D textile forms and expanding their creative thinking. 

To maintain and develop machine sewing skills, students complete a scrunchie-making lesson, introducing them to seams and casings—essential knowledge for those interested in garment construction at GCSE level. 

YEAR 9 

In Year 9, the Textiles rotation focuses on building creative confidence and preparing students for the expectations of GCSE Art & Design. Students work through a mini-portfolio project based on the theme of Butterflies, which introduces them to key GCSE assessment objectives such as research, experimentation, and visual/written recording. 

The project begins with the creation of a theme board, helping students understand its purpose in developing ideas. They explore colour palettes and produce detailed magnified drawings of butterfly wings, which later inform their practical experimentation. 

Students then develop a wide range of decorative textile techniques, building on skills acquired throughout KS3. These include: 

• Hand embroidery 
• Reverse appliqué 
• Quilting 
• Needle-felted illustration 
• Batik 
• Polyblock printing 
• Brusho backgrounds with stencil overlays 

While learning these techniques, students also deepen their understanding of the Formal Elements of Art and Design Principles, applying them both practically and theoretically. 

For extended homework, students study the work of textile artist Jennifer Lamontagne, analysing her style through the lens of formal elements and design principles. In class, they create a stitch sampler to trial her techniques, preparing them for a final homework task: a dense embroidery piece inspired by Lamontagne’s style and their own butterfly wing studies. 

This rotation not only strengthens technical skills but also encourages personal expression, critical thinking, and independent learning—essential qualities for success at GCSE and beyond. 

Exam board

AQA

Description

Within Art and Design Textiles we aim to:

• actively engage in the creative process of art, craft and design in order to develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds
• develop creative, imaginative and intuitive capabilities when exploring and making images, artefacts and products
• become confident in taking risks and learn from experience when exploring and experimenting with ideas, processes, media, materials and techniques
• develop critical understanding through investigative, analytical, experimental, practical, technical and expressive skills
• develop and refine ideas and proposals, personal outcomes or solutions with increasing independence
• acquire and develop technical skills through working with a broad range of media, materials, techniques, processes and technologies with purpose and intent
• develop knowledge and understanding of art, craft and design in historical and contemporary contexts, societies and cultures
• develop an awareness of the different roles and individual work practices evident in the production of art, craft and design in the creative and cultural industries
• develop an awareness of the purposes, intentions and functions of art and design in a variety of contexts and as appropriate to students’ own work · demonstrate safe working practices in art and design

Content

There is synoptic assessment in both components of the GCSE that provides rigour and presents opportunities for students as follows:

In Component 1 (portfolio) students develop responses to initial starting points, project briefs or specified tasks and realise intentions informed by research, the development and refinement of ideas and meaningful engagement with selected sources. Responses will include evidence of drawing for different purposes and needs and written annotation.

In Component 2 (externally set assignment) students respond to a starting point provided by AQA. This response provides evidence of the student’s ability to work independently within specified time constraints, realise intentions that are personal and meaningful and explicitly address the requirements of all four assessment objectives.

The exams and non-exam assessment will measure how students have achieved the following assessment objectives.

• AO1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.
• AO2: Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
• AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
• AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.

At Ribston, we do two projects that make up the students’ portfolio for component 1.

The introductory project runs from September to January of Year 10. This allows students to build their confidence with each AO. Currently, the students work towards a brief of creating an Embroidered Abstract Denim Jacket for a teenage market inspired by the work of Stacey Jones. We analyse current trends in Denim and conduct research, recording work and experimentation work to create a final Denim Jacket. The core practical skills developed are hand, free motion machine embroidery, applique and stencil printing. We also explore use of components such as beads, sequins etc.

We then move on to our sustained project based on ‘Culutre’.This runs from February of Year 10 to January of Year 11. Students begin to work more independently and are introduced to a wider range of textile techniques through a series on demonstrations. Techniques fall under the following categories; Fabric Construction, Fabric Manipulation, Colouring/Dyeing Textiles and Heat Manipulation. Each student can pick their own culture to explore and can choose to either create a Textile Art or Fashion outcome.

The starting points are released by AQA for Component 2 in January of Year 11. Students are able to select their own preferred starting point and will spend lesson and homework time, preparing AO1, AO2, AO3 evidence. They will then create an AO4 final outcome response in a 10 hour timed session. The 10 hours are normally completed over two days.order to develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds

Exam board

AQA Art & Design – Textiles (7204)

Description

A-Level Art and Design Textiles is assessed via two components:

Component 1: Personal investigation

This is a practical investigation supported by written material. Students are required to conduct a practical investigation, into an idea, issue, concept or theme, supported by written material. The focus of the investigation must be identified independently by the student and must lead to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes.

The investigation should be a coherent, in-depth study that demonstrates the student’s ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning from an initial starting point to a final realisation. The investigation must show clear development from initial intentions to the final outcome or outcomes.

It must include evidence of the student’s ability to research and develop ideas and relate their work in meaningful ways to relevant critical/contextual materials. The investigation must be informed by an aspect of contemporary or past practice of artists, photographers, designers or craftspeople.

The written material must confirm understanding of creative decisions, providing evidence of all four assessment objectives by:

• clarifying the focus of the investigation
• demonstrating critical understanding of contextual and other sources
• substantiating decisions leading to the development and refinement of ideas
• recording ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions by reflecting critically on practical work
• making meaningful connections between, visual, written and other elements.

The written material must:

• be a coherent and logically structured extended response of between 1000 and 3000 words of continuous prose.
• include specialist vocabulary appropriate to the subject matter
• include a bibliography that, identifies contextual references from sources such as: books, journals, websites, through studies of others’ work made during a residency, or on a site, museum or gallery visit
• be legible with accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar so that meaning is clear.

Students can present the written material as a single passage of continuous prose or as a series of shorter discrete, but linked, passages of continuous prose incorporated within the practical work. There is no restriction on the scale of practical work produced. Students should carefully select, organise and present their work for their Personal investigation to ensure it is well structured and provides evidence that meets the requirements of all four assessment objectives. The personal investigation will be assessed as a whole. Evidence of meeting the requirements of all four assessment objectives must be provided in both the practical and written material. Students must identify and acknowledge sources which are not their own.

Component 2: Externally set assignment

Separate question papers will be provided for each title. Each question paper will consist of a choice of eight questions to be used as starting points. Students are required to select one. Students will be provided with exam papers on 1 February, or as soon as possible after that date.

Preparatory period – from 1 February

Following receipt of the paper students should consider the starting points and select one. Preparatory work should be presented in any suitable format, such as mounted sheets, design sheets, sketchbooks, workbooks, journals, models and maquettes.

Supervised time – 15 hours

Following the preparatory period, students must complete 15 hours of unaided, supervised time. The first three hours of the supervised time must be consecutive. In the 15 hours students must produce a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes, informed by their preparatory work. Students must stop work on their preparatory work as soon as the first period of supervised time starts. Students may refer to their preparatory work in the supervised time, but it must not be added to or amended.

Preparatory work and the work produced during the supervised time must be kept secure in between sessions of supervised time. The work produced during the supervised time must be clearly identified as such. Students must identify and acknowledge sources which are not their own. Annotation and/or notes should use appropriate specialist vocabulary and be legible with accurate use of language so that meaning is clear.

At the end of the 15 hours of supervised time all the work submitted for this component must be kept secure.

Preparatory work and the work produced during the 15 hours of supervised time will be assessed together, as a whole, against all four assessment objectives. Students will be assessed on their ability to work independently, working within the specified time constraints, and developing a personal and meaningful response. There is no restriction on the scale of work produced. Students should carefully select, organise and present work to ensure that they provide evidence which meets the requirements of all four assessment objectives. The guidelines set out in the JCQ document ‘Instructions for the conduct of examinations’ must be followed.

Content

Before students begin Component 1 (personal investigation), we spend the first term of Year 12 developing their confidence with each of the assessment objectives through a series of 3 mini projects.

Mini Projects

• ARTIST COPY PROJECT: Students create a series of artist copies to explore new textile skills. It will also develop their understanding of the design principles in greater depth and understand how this will impact the formal elements of art. Students have an opportunity to develop their analytical and evaluative writing skills.
• FABRIC MANIPULATION FASHION PROJECT: Following completion of the artist copy project, students move on the fabric construction corset. Here they learn how to create a fashion response (as historically most students want to create a fashion outcome at KS5). Students learn to; create their own patterns for the corset, modelling on the stand, draping on the stand, create structured fabric manipulation samples based on Ruth Singer’s work, create CAD fashion designs and presentation designs, During this project, students also buy a commercial pattern and create a garment of their choice.
• RECORDING PROJECT: Students also complete a project based on ‘Recording skills’ and the variety of ways this can be incorporated into their work to successfully fulfil the AO3 assessment objective.

Mini project evidence is recorded in sketchbooks – this allows students to track and monitor their progression and refer back to the work once they start their Personal Investigations.

We begin Component 1 in January of Year 12 and complete this by January of year 13. The starting points for Component 2 are released at the start of February of Year 13. Students are able to select their own preferred starting point and will spend lesson and homework time, preparing AO1, AO2, AO3 evidence. They will then create an AO4 final outcome response in a 15 hour timed session. The 10 hours are normally completed over three days.

Every Wednesday KS4/KS5 have an after-school support session. This allows students to have access to the textiles room and resources. Many utilise this session.

• KS3 Fashion Club 
• KS5 – trips to Beckford Silk Mill, Nature in Art and London (V&A and Graduate Fashion Week)
• Artist Workshops (past sessions – practical workshops with Jessica Grady, Sarah Gwyer and Adele Riley)
• Design Challenges – to promote Textiles outside the classroom (examples: embroidery competitions, DIY Christmas jumper)