Textiles GCE A level

Step 1: Apply

Step 2: An account will be set up for you by us, on our Learner Hub portal. You will receive a message and link via Help You Choose when this is ready for you to access.

Step 3: On our Learner Hub portal, set your first choice course (ie 'A Level Programme', 'Early Years Practitioner Level 2', 'Creative Media Level 3') and book your interview from the choices displayed

Step 4: Interview (Course discussion) You will meet with an academic tutor from your chosen area of study for an informal discussion about your course choices, to ensure you have chosen the best course for your future ambitions.

Step 5: Offer Offers are given verbally at interview but you will also receive an email confirmation. All offers are provisional until the point of enrolment and most of our course offers are conditional, meaning there is an entry criteria you need to meet before enrolling. This will be outlined in your written offer. Sometimes we are unable to offer you a place on your chosen course. If this happens the reasons will be discussed with you at your appointment and we will look at alternative options with you. We will be in contact to confirm the outcome and what to do next. We also have a team of specialist Course Advisers who are more than happy to look at alternative options with you and answer any questions you may have.

Step 4: Enrolment Enrolment is the final stage before starting your course with us and takes place within the last two weeks of August. We require you to be available to attend your appointment in person at college, so we can complete all the required steps to enrolling you on your chosen course. We may ask you to bring some documents with you so please read your enrolment invitation carefully.

NB Our main communication with our applicants is via their personal email addresses - please remember to check your inbox for messages from us!

If you love making textured surfaces or are interested in fashion or interior design, then this course is for you. Textiles is taught in a completely refurbished studio with access to great resources to help you explore different areas and be ambitious with your projects. In year 1, you will take part in workshops to build up your skills and knowledge and explore ways of manipulating and creating textile surfaces. You will work on your own personal investigation with one to one assistance from teachers and technicians. In year 2, you build upon and use the skills and techniques developed in year 1 of the course. You will write a 1,000+ word critical assignment linked to your personal project which will be based on an element of design that interests you. You will also carry out a research project that will be based on your own choice of starting points. This will include analytical research, experimentation with different samples and the production of an ambitious and sophisticated final piece which will be displayed in the end of year show. We frequently visit London to see the work of designers and artists relevant to your own work. We also visit exhibits such as the New Designer Show. As part of the course, you can showcase your work on the catwalk at the Annual Paston Fashion Show and in the Paston Art Show. If you’re interested in applying to study a degree level textiles course, there will be one to one portfolio sessions that will help you select the best work to show at interviews. Norwich University of the Arts also come in to discuss portfolios and interviews to ensure that you are well prepared for your next step. Textiles will appeal to you if you want to express your creativity in ways that can be applied to areas such as surface design, fashion and constructed textiles. It will also particularly appeal to you if you’re considering further study or careers in these areas. You may want to study Textiles alongside any of the other A Level subjects that we offer at Paston College.

You will be assessed through a variety of coursework and will be asked to complete preparatory studies to complete a finished piece of work completed under exam conditions.

3 A Level Programme

Minimum of 66444 at GCSE

You must also study English/Maths GCSE if you have not already achieved grade 4 in these subjects.

If you achieve a minimum of 3 GCSE's at grade 8 plus 5 at grade 7 and your English Language and Maths are at minimum grade 4, you will have the option to join the A Plus programme.

Please note that A Plus is designed for applicants to academic courses at Oxford, Cambridge or Russel Group.

The course helps you to prepare for the next step in your creative career. Many students go directly on to degree courses at university to study Textiles and other visual art disciplines such as decorative arts, knitwear design, fashion, fashion management and textiles.