Overview

GCSE Design and Technology will prepare students to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world. Students will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and Technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Students will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise. This GCSE allows students to study core technical and designing and making principles, including a broad range of design processes, materials techniques and equipment.

This subject should appeal to a creative student who is capable of independent and innovative thinking.  Students will also be required to develop their time management skills and possess a strong work ethic.  There are a number of designing and making tasks, as well a sound theoretical framework.

Topics covered

Design and technology is a very broad based, creative, subject that is designed to enable students to develop independent thinking skills. As such, it is a skill set that is transferable to almost all career paths. In addition to this, students of design and technology at GCSE can expect their career opportunities to be particularly enhanced within the follow occupations:

Product design, architecture, graphic design, teaching, advertising and interior design

There are also a range of apprenticeships that link to an interest in design technology, including:  junior product designer, theatre set designer, media and journalism, civil engineering technician, game designer, design and drafting technician and model maker.

The course will focus on Graphics and will cover the following core skill and knowledge:

• • impact of new and emerging technologies.

  • energy.

  • modern and smart materials

  • ecological and social footprint

  • investigating and analysing the work of others

  • Materials

  • Papers and Boards

Skills you will develop

• Iterative designing skills: researching, analysing, planning, drawing, modelling, testing and evaluating. 

• Thinking and planning skills: measuring, accurate cutting of materials and developing practical products.

• Graphics materials knowledge and specifications / properties / computer skills/ systems and control.

• Students also need to develop an understanding of industrial processes and techniques and how they relate to everyday products manufacture. 

• Employability skills

• Team work

• Time management – meeting deadlines

• Presentation and communication skills

• Confidence and positive attitude

• Practical application of maths

• Problem solving

• IT skills 

Assessments

Component 1 - Examination worth 50%

Two hour examination paper

Component 2 - Design & Make project worth 50%

Students will carry out a design and make project, consisting of a 20, A3 page portfolio and a finished product (50% of marks). The whole project is carried out between the summer of year 10 and the spring of year 11. 

An A3 design folio and Sketch book

The topic is set by the examination board

This is internally assessed and externally moderated.

FAQs

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