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Course Overview

Our T Level qualification - Craft and Design: Ceramics,  has been designed in partnership with employers to give you the industry skills you need in order to start your career within the Ceramics industry. A key feature of the T-level is the inclusion of extended work experience in order to help you develop real world experience.

The specialist teaching is designed to develop technical knowledge and skills that support progression to a range of roles within the craft sector. Students will develop transferable skills that could lead to employment opportunities in related industries. The primary focus of the specialisms is on developing the skills of making, using appropriate materials, tools, processes and techniques. 

In Summary:

  • They’re equivalent to 3 A levels and focus on vocational skills
  • They include a 45 day ‘industry placement’ to help young people develop skills
  • Progression from a T Level could be skilled employment, higher education or an apprenticeship
  • They’re designed and developed in collaboration with employers and practitioners, giving young people the skills to succeed in their chosen careers.

Students will develop an appreciation of the different settings: studio potter or pottery in an industrial setting and related processes, tools, techniques and materials. They will explore different processes, techniques, tools and materials before specialising in a selected area.  

The T Level will help students develop an understanding of a broad range of issues relevant to the sector, including: 

  • The creative economy 
  • The individual in the creative industries 
  • Cultural context and vocabulary 
  • Audience and consumer needs 
  • Legal and regulatory requirements 
  • Professional standards and conduct in the workplace 
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion requirements 
  • Research skills 
  • Project methodology and administration 
  • Continued professional development. 

Key points you need to know about T Levels: 

Courses last two years

  • 1 T Level is equivalent to three A Levels 
  • Created in collaboration with employers
  • Include a substantial industry placement
  • Attract UCAS points (For university progression)
  • Support progression into skilled work and higher or degree level apprenticeships, higher level technical study, including university.

T Levels are a high-quality, work-focused alternative to A Levels for school leavers aged 16 - 18. These two-year courses are designed with employers to intimately reflect the needs of the sectors and occupations they’re designed to serve. 

After completing their two-year T Level, students will have the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours to successfully progress into work or higher-level study.   

A minimum of Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including a related creative subject, English and Maths.

They are assessed based on coursework, exams, and other similar methods, varying slightly based on the course you are taking. A T-Level grade carries a certain number of UCAS points, equivalent to 3 grades at A-Level. This increases as the grade increases up to A*A*A* equivalent.

Over the 2 years, the course includes a minimum of 9 weeks (45 days) working with an employer on an industry placement.

Students who achieve T- Levels can continue their studies with:

  • UAL Level 3 / 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
  • UAL Level 4 Professional Diploma in Creative Enterprise. 
  • Higher or degree-level apprenticeships 
  • Higher-level technical study, including university.

The?Craft and Design T Level?will give students a route into a variety of careers within the sector including: 

  • Pottery or Ceramics instructor
  • Art teacher
  • Ceramic artist
  • Pottery designer
  • Ceramic manufacturer

There are no direct course fees for students aged under 19 at the start of the course. 

You will be required to pay a £80 studio fee per year to support materials costs and educational visits. 

T Levels are courses for 16 to 18 year olds that are studied at the same level as A Levels. They are for young people who prefer a more technical education when they come to College, rather than following a purely academic pathway, or a work-based apprenticeship. They are a two-year programme that combine classroom theory, practical learning and a minimum of 45 days industry placement with an employer.

During the two-year programme, you will learn the core knowledge that underpins each industry and will also develop occupationally specific skills that will allow you to enter skilled employment within a specific occupation.

This two-year course has been developed?in collaboration with a number of established employers,?practitioners and providers from across the?sector to advance the technical qualification?that will underpin the media, broadcast?and production skills you will gain and develop. The input from employers is vital to ensuring the technical?qualification reflects the needs required within the sector.