Edexcel GCSE Art & Design: Textile Design specification (1TE0)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your Edexcel GCSE 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.
Examiner-written revision resources that improve your grades 2x
- Written by expert teachers and examiners
- Aligned to exam specifications
- Everything you need to know, and nothing you don’t
In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official Edexcel GCSE 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 Edexcel GCSE Art & Design: Textile Design (1TE0) 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 Edexcel specification PDF.
Specification overview
The GCSE in Art & Design: Textile Design enables students to explore and develop creative ideas through textiles-based materials and techniques. It fosters knowledge of textile processes such as weaving, felting, printing, and embroidery, encouraging individual expression and critical understanding of design. Learners are guided to explore cultural, historical and contemporary textile practice and to realise ideas through personal and imaginative outcomes. The course supports progression to A Level Textile Design and encourages independence, risk-taking, and purposeful decision-making through practical engagement.Subject content breakdown
3.8 Art and Design (Textile Design)
- Work must be primarily textiles-based and can include fabric manipulation, construction, surface decoration, and stitched/embroidered elements.
Students must develop:
- Understanding of materials, techniques and processes related to textile art and design.
- Application of surface decoration techniques (e.g. printing, batik, silk painting).
- Skills in constructing and embellishing textiles.
- Use of digital and/or non-digital methods.
Areas of study (students may choose at least one):
- Art textiles – experimental and expressive use of materials to communicate ideas.
- Fashion design and illustration – developing concepts and designing wearable outcomes.
- Costume design – for performance, considering historical or contemporary influences.
- Printed and/or dyed textiles – exploring print methods and dye techniques.
- Constructed textiles – weaving, knitting, and fabric construction.
- Digital textiles – using digital tools to design, manipulate or print textiles.
- Installed textiles – textiles created for or within a space, possibly site-specific.
Drawing can be used to inform textile design (e.g. pattern development, shape exploration).
Assessment structure
Component 1: Personal Portfolio
- Internally set and assessed; externally moderated.
- Worth 60% of total GCSE.
- Students develop a personal investigation through experimentation and research.
- Must include preparatory work and final outcomes.
- All four assessment objectives must be addressed:
- AO1: Develop ideas
- AO2: Refine work
- AO3: Record observations
- AO4: Present a personal response
Component 2: Externally Set Assignment
- Worth 40% of total GCSE.
- Paper issued on 2 January annually.
- Theme set by Pearson, allowing broad interpretation.
- Preparatory period followed by 10 hours of sustained focus under exam conditions.
- Assessed holistically across the four assessment objectives.
- Internally marked and externally moderated.
Key tips for success
Doing well in your Edexcel GCSE 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.
Share this article