This is one of the most frustrating and persistently lingering misconceptions about D&T! Woodwork and metalwork skills may be delivered in depth in D&T,  provided that's what your product requires. You won't necessarily delve too deeply into these skills if it doesn't. This subject is driven by iterative design development, which involves working with real-world users on a real-world problem. Thinking about what practical skills you will cover is putting the cart before the horse! Additionally, the course is 50% examination, so theoretical content plays a big part. Contemporary D&T is a very academic subject with practical elements, not vice versa! Given the above, you must have done DT in Y9 to do the GCSE. 

There's no such thing as an easy GCSE! There are few subjects, however, that require as broad a range of skills as D&T, which is the greatest strength of the subject but something that should not be taken lightly. If GCSEs are like events at the Olympics, D&T is the decathlon. The good news is that just because you have one or two weaker events, it doesn't mean you won't make a great decathlete! 

 Where to begin!? Humans' ability to problem-solve, create, design and develop products is what's brought us to where we are, warts and all. And it's likely as not the only thing that will get us through the many challenges that your generation will face. You may not become the next James Dyson or Jonathan Ive, but whatever you do in life, you'll face challenges that require creative solutions that will need to be see through to a conclusion.  There's no better subject than D&T to prepare you for those challenges!