Design and Technology Faculty

Watch an overview about the courses and advice on course choice:

See what curricular pathways are available from the Design and Technology Faculty.

Click on the images below to take you to further information:

Course Choice FAQ – Design and Technology Faculty

Q: Can my child do more than one DT subject?

A: Yes! From S3 through to S6, pupils can choose more than one DT subject provided it fits their column structure. If there are clashes, pupils have the option to return the following year if they plan to stay on as all our courses and levels are available every year.

Q: What if my child doesn’t meet entry requirements?

A: Your child will not be denied entry to any course (unless the class is already full), but first they will be involved in a discussion with the Principal Teacher of Design and Technology and their Guidance Teacher to understand why they wish to take the course. Your child would be disadvantaged to enter a course without meeting the entry requirements and would be expected to put in extra work at home and attending study sessions to help them catch up to their peers.

Q: Can my child crash a Design and Technology course in S4/5/6?

A: Whilst your child will not be denied entry to a course (unless the class is already full), we do not recommend crashing our courses unless your child has completed and successfully achieved in similar courses. Crashing a course of any nature is challenging and pupils who are successful in doing this achieve due to dedication and hard work above regular class expectations.

Reading the Course Prerequisites document gives a suggestion of similar courses that would support entry to one of our courses without previous knowledge if your child is adamant to crash one of our courses.

Q: What are the costs associated with PWW/PMW/PT?

A: We charge a small recoveries fee to cover the material used in our courses. At present (2021-22), the S3 Practical Technologies Course costs £10 for the year, and both Practical Woodworking and Practical Metalworking cost £20.

These payments are due at the beginning of the session and will be paid electronically. The school office will send details of this once the school yeah has started in August.

There are no costs involved for Graphic Communication or Engineering Science.

Q: How much written work is involved in the courses?

A: All of our courses contain a written element of assessment, with Engineering Science and Graphic Communication having a significant portion of the assessment coming from written pieces of work. This is why we ask that pupils are strong in their English capabilities when choosing these subjects.

Both Practical Woodworking and Practical Metalworking contain a written exam, worth 30% of the final grade at National 5 level. There are also a number of small written pieces of work needed to pass the units of the course. This is why we ask that pupils have a good understanding and grasp on their literacy skills before embarking on these courses.

Q: What are the level ratings for each course?

A: All four subjects are available from National 4 to National 5 level. This is at SCQF Levels 4 and 5.

Engineering Science and Graphic Communication are also available at Higher level. This is SCQF Level 6.

Q: What is the weighting of coursework in each course?

A: Each of our courses vary slightly with the weighting of coursework to the final written exam, as detailed below. To achieve, pupils should aim to pass both elements of the course at as high a grading as they can.

All assignments are completed in school during class time. Pupils will not start these before February of the school year to allow time for skill development and confidence building. Engineering Science and Graphic Communication assignments, at all levels, are completed in full exam conditions over a period equal to 8 hours.

All coursework, aside from practical models, is assessed externally by the SQA. Class teachers do not have any involvement or influence on this.

National 5 Course Weightings

Engineering Science is split 31% assignment, 69% question paper.

Graphic Communication is split 33% assignment, 67% question paper.

Practical Woodworking AND Practical Metalworking is split 70% assignment, 30% question paper.

Higher Course Weightings

Engineering Science is split 31% assignment, 69% question paper.

Graphic Communication is split 36% assignment, 64% question paper.

Q: How can I support my child with their learning at home?

A: You can support your child’s learning in Design and Technology at home in many ways. Encourage your child to access their class Teams often to check assignments and access resources. For Graphic Communication, you may wish to download the CAD Modelling software we use to support skill development at home (ask your child’s teacher about this).

You can also support the completion of homework tasks and regular revision sessions, making use of SQA past papers and resources.

Q: How much homework would my child be set?

A: In both Graphic Communication and Engineering Science (at all levels), pupils are set homework tasks every week. These are used to help reinforce the learning completed in class, along with revision of materials covered in the S3 courses to ensure pupils stay on top of all theory matters. Homework tasks are often based on SQA past paper style questions so also double as excellent revision materials come study leave time. All pupils are expected to complete this.