AQA A Level Art & Design: Textile Design specification (7204)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your AQA A Level Art & Design: Textile Design exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official AQA A Level Art & Design: Textile Design specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official AQA A Level Art & Design: Textile Design (7204) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official AQA specification PDF.
Specification overview
The A Level Art & Design: Textile Design course provides a framework for students to explore and develop creative skills in designing and making textile-based art and products. It encourages a personal and critical understanding of traditional and digital textile practices, alongside knowledge of historical and contemporary textile influences. Students investigate how materials and processes communicate meaning, respond to design problems or personal themes, and reflect cultural, environmental and ethical considerations. This supports creative progression into higher education or careers in art, craft, fashion or textile industries:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. markdown Copy Edit
Subject content breakdown
3.6 Textile design
- Students must explore traditional and digital textile media
- Drawing used for design ideas, planning, or investigation of texture, pattern and colour
- Work must be underpinned by sketchbooks/workbooks/journals as appropriate
- Explore artefacts and images from a range of historical, cultural and contemporary sources
Areas of study (one or more required):
- Fashion design
- Fashion textiles
- Costume design
- Digital textiles
- Printed and/or dyed fabric and materials
- Domestic textiles and wallpaper
- Interior design
- Constructed textiles
- Art textiles
- Installed textiles
Skills and techniques:
- Understand shape, line, scale, colour, texture, pattern, contrast, repetition
- Awareness of audience and purpose
- Respond to issues, ideas, briefs, or client needs
- Understand relationships between form and function
- Apply techniques: fabric printing (mono, screen, relief, laser), dyeing (batik, tie-dye, transfer), construction, stitching (appliqué, quilting, embroidery):contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Assessment structure
Component 1: Personal investigation
- A practical project supported by written material (1000–3000 words)
- Student chooses a theme and produces final outcome(s)
- Demonstrates critical understanding, contextual sources, and sustained development
- Accounts for 60% of A Level (96 raw marks, scaled to 288)
- Internally marked, externally moderated
Component 2: Externally set assignment
- Eight starting points released 1 February
- Preparatory period followed by 15 hours supervised time
- One or more final outcomes must be produced unaided
- Accounts for 40% of A Level (96 raw marks, scaled to 192)
- Internally marked, externally moderated
Assessment Objectives (each weighted 25%)
- AO1: Develop ideas using contextual sources
- AO2: Explore and refine textile methods
- AO3: Record ideas and insights relevant to textile design
- AO4: Present a personal and meaningful textile-based response
Grading
- Total scaled marks out of 480
- A*–E grade awarded based on combined performance across both components:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Key tips for success
Doing well in your AQA A Level Art & Design: Textile Design isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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