Textiles Textiles Textiles

Why Study Textiles?

At Beaulieu, Textiles is a dynamic and creative subject that encourages students to explore, design, and problem-solve in imaginative ways. Our mission is to inspire, educate, and equip students with the skills needed to become confident, innovative designers. Through hands-on making, creative exploration, and thoughtful investigation, students develop a deep appreciation for textile processes, fashion design, and the visual world around them.

Textiles nurtures creativity and independence. Students learn to view ideas from different perspectives, experiment with materials, and develop the technical skills needed to bring their concepts to life. Over time, they gain the confidence to express their own style, respond to themes in their own ways, and build a portfolio of high-quality, practical work.

Throughout the course, students explore a broad range of textile techniques, including garment construction, fabric manipulation, surface decoration, printmaking, felt making, batik, dyeing, and both hand and machine embroidery. They also develop skills in photography, artist research, and annotation -learning to communicate ideas visually and thoughtfully.

Studying Textiles opens pathways into design, fashion, art, interior textiles, costume, and many creative industries. More importantly, it encourages students to think creatively, solve problems, and express themselves with confidence.

Year 7

Students begin their textiles journey by exploring design and decorative techniques. They start by creating zentangle-inspired initials and move on to designing and constructing a decorative cushion using appliqué, basic construction methods, and hand embroidery. Later in the year, they study colour and pattern, creating their own tie-dye scrunchies using dyeing techniques and fabric manipulation.

Year 8

In Year 8, students develop their design ideas through artist research, focusing on the bold, colourful work of Craig and Karl. Using collage, they create character-based designs before moving on to construct their own tote bag, applying their developing sewing skills. Students then work collaboratively on an upcycling fashion challenge, transforming old garments into new creations. The year ends with a vibrant Day of the Dead project, with a focus on printmaking and pattern.

Year 9-11: (GCSE)

Students who choose Textiles for GCSE spend Year 9 in a skills-rich programme that introduces them to a wide variety of textile processes to deepen both creativity and technical ability. Students sample techniques such as appliqué, felt making, freehand machine embroidery, heat transfer printing, Brusho dyes, fabric manipulation, and marbling. They then learn how to construct a corset, developing pattern-cutting and assembly skills before designing and making their own final corset inspired by a theme or artist.

By Year 10, Students begin their GCSE studies with the theme Structure, where they learn to meet all four assessment objectives: conducting artist research; developing ideas; recording and observing through drawings, photographs, and sampling; and producing a final outcome. Throughout the year, they create a comprehensive sketchbook that demonstrates experimentation, research, observation, and refinement, culminating in a final practical piece that forms an important part of their GCSE portfolio.

In Year 11, students complete one major project based on a title of their choice. From January, they receive their GCSE exam paper and begin a 10-week preparatory period before producing their final piece under exam conditions. The exam contributes 40% of the final GCSE grade.

Year 12-13: (A-Level Art & Design)

Studying Textiles in the Sixth Form enables students to develop independent, creative and technically accomplished work while exploring a wide range of textile processes, including fabric manipulation, printmaking, surface decoration, felt making, batik, dyeing and embroidery. Students learn to take high-quality photographs to support their observations, research the work of artists and designers, and take part in workshops and gallery visits. Ideas are developed through sustained experimentation before being resolved into a final personal outcome, with all work carefully annotated to demonstrate critical thinking and individual creative journeys. The course follows the same assessment objectives as GCSE, with the examination paper released in January of Year 13.

Assessment takes place across Years 12 and 13. In Year 12, students complete Component 1, beginning with skill-building workshops before developing a Personal Investigation supported by written work and culminating in a final textile piece or fashion garment. In Year 13, this continues with a detailed Personal Study of up to 3,000 words alongside practical work. Component 1 accounts for 60% of the final grade. Students also complete Component 2, a controlled assessment worth 40%, which includes up to six weeks of preparation followed by a 15-hour practical examination to produce a final outcome.