What is it?
This course aims to provide a firm foundation in core fashion & design practice, and to encourage personal development and expression. Professional practice in garment construction, fashion illustration, fashion design, fashionphotography, wearable art, fashion promotion, advertising and branding. You will develop a personal and exciting approach as you progress.
Why study this subject at Blackpool Sixth?
The course covers many elements of professional practice needed to be successful within the design industry including: garment construction, fashion illustration, surface pattern design, fashion design, fashion photography, fashion promotion, visual merchandising, advertising and branding. Projects include client-led briefs and working within the local community. The course helps learners to find out what they enjoy, what they are good at and allows them to develop a set of valuable skills for future study and work.
What skills will I develop?
- how to inform your ideas by interpreting briefs and investigating and analysing information.
- how to practice problem solving by generating ideas, creating concepts and reviewing, comparing and refining your work.
- how to build your technical skills over a wide range of disciplines as you explore your ideas.
- know about the roles available in Fashion design, promotion and marketing and their associated practice including health and safety and project management.
- how to communicate messages to different audiences using visual language and demonstrate understanding of the purpose and function of your outcomes.
How will I be taught?
- Independently, as a whole class or small groups, pairs
- Lots of 1:1 discussions
- Past example projects
- Sharing of ideas with peers
- Year one learners tackle given project briefs covering core skills within areas of garment construction and fashioncommunication
- Year two learners tackle more challenging and specific creative assignments specialising in their selected area
How will I be assessed?
The course is made up of 9 units in year one and a further 4 larger units in year two.
In this qualification learners engage with study through project work. Development is progressive taking learners through workshops, and practical assignments at the beginning. All assignments are pass or fail only up until the end of year one, were an interim grade assesses progress and year two in the unit, Project Proposal and Realisation in which each learner specialises. Here the learner is at the pinnacle of their learning when they are awarded their overall grade, Pass, Merit or Distinction.
Teacher expertise
Each side of the course is taught by specialists in that area. The staff all have design backgrounds and develop their work as freelancers in their own time.
Field trips, projects and employability opportunities
We are always completing live briefs throughout the year as a rule of thumb and good practice. We have had past visits to New York, Paris, Rome, Venice, Morocco. We also encourage local trips for photography e.g. Edinburgh and London. There are also exhibition and fashion show opportunities each year.
Where does it lead?
Students progress on to a wide variety of fashion and design related study and careers including: fashion design, fashion promotion, fashion marketing and advertising, fashion management, fashion buying, retail, visual merchandising, graphic design, fashion branding, costume design, fashion journalism, stylist, fashion fabric design, fashion accessory design, window dresser, interior design and textiles design and fashion photography.
Equipment
Sketchbooks, needles, thread, spools, scissors, fabric for garments, glossy photo printing, objects/props for visual merchandising. First Year £50 approx ( fabric costs will vary).
Examination board
Pearson
Entry Requirements
- Ideally you will have a grade 4 in any GCSE art or textiles subject. If not then you’ll need creative flair, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.
What will I study?
Module 1
You will complete a range of different projects and workshops over the first two terms and be assessed in five areas of learning.
Module 2
You will put your learning from Module 1 into practice by completing a single project that applies your ability to investigate and respond to a brief, apply technical and problem solving skills in a professional manner and communicate your ideas effectively to a client. In year 2 you will focus your attention to particular specialisms in Fashion, design, promotion and marketing. Assessment is weighted to reflect the higher degree of skill and greater opportunity to demonstrate your full potential.
Module 3
You will learn about career paths and artistic roles and their associated practice. You will develop a strategy of career progression and demonstrate professional practice and behaviour in planning and responding to your career goals. You will build a portfolio and CV that communicates your progression aims.
Module 4
You will produce a personalised project with your career goals in mind that will be assessed upon your ability to investigate and respond to a brief. Apply problem solving and technical skill in response to the brief in a professional manner. Effectively use communication skills to present your response to your audience.
Keep up-to-date with all our exciting projects, follow us on Instagram at:
@blackpool6th_textiles | @blackpool6th_fashion | @blackpoolsixthgraphics_ | @artsblackpoolsixth