Made in Cotham

Online Resources Portal

Don't forget, more resources might be available on your Google Classroom

How to use this site

  • Prepare yourself before a lesson by reading the lesson content in advance

  • Use as a reference to help yourself to complete homework tasks

  • Re-print a lost or damaged classwork or homework sheets

  • Revise and test your knowledge of examination content before your exam

  • Catch up on a lesson you were absent for by accessing the content and resources

To fully access all content on this site you need to be logged into your school Google account. Trying to access resources with a personal Google account will result in blank pages or access permission errors.

About the Curriculum

The navigation bar at the top of the screen (or the pull out side menu if you're on a mobile device) can be used to access each of the years that form part of your study during your time at Cotham. Your teacher may have used a presentation file on the interactive whiteboard during a lesson and these files are available here for you to review the work after your lesson. Lessons may also have worksheets or homework tasks associated with them, they might be available here for download but the answers will be shared through Google Classroom only after the hand in date.

All resources on the site should be viewable on your computer, tablet or mobile device, task sheets are saved as PDF files and should display and print straight from your browser. However in some cases you may need to install a PDF reader such as those from Adobe

Qualification Structure

In order to make effective design choices students will need a breadth of core technical knowledge and understanding. In addition to the core technical principles, all students should develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of specialist technical principles common to any material area. Alongside this specialist knowledge students will gain a deeper understanding of timber based materials and polymers. All of this knowledge will be built up through lessons using the resources available on this website.

Students should know and understand that all design and technology activities take place within a wide range of contexts. They should also understand how the prototypes they develop must satisfy wants or needs and be fit for their intended use. For example, the home, school, work or leisure. They will need to demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of designing and making principles through a 35 hour long personalised project that will see them work with a client to investigate a problem, write a design brief, create a portfolio of design solutions, develop a prototype product and evaluate the success of their product or solution.

This qualification is split into three sections each with their own focus around specific areas of knowledge. These areas are mapped out as described in the section below.

Section A

Core technical principles

  • Unit 1: New and emerging technologies

  • Unit 2: Energy, materials, systems and devices

  • Unit 3: Materials and their working properties

Section B

Specialist technical principles

  • Unit 4: Common specialist technical principles

  • Unit 5: Specialist material areas

Section C

Designing and making principles

  • Unit 6: Designing Principles

  • Unit 7: Making Principles


Grade Descriptors

Ofqual recommends the following descriptors as a guide for grading students.

Grade 2

To achieve grade 2, candidates will be able to:

  • demonstrate and apply basic knowledge and understanding of the principles of design and technology in familiar situations

  • work safely applying straightforward technical skills in the production of a prototype

  • use everyday language, audio and visual recordings, and simple drawings or sketches to explain an idea

  • make straightforward comments about their own work and the work of others

  • use some simple mathematical skills and scientific knowledge to make basic calculations

Grade 5

To achieve grade 5, candidates will be able to:

  • demonstrate and apply mostly accurate and appropriate knowledge and understanding of the principles of design and technology in familiar and some unfamiliar situations

  • develop functioning prototypes safely and effectively applying appropriate technical skills

  • use appropriate technical language and methods of communication, such as formal drawings and annotated sketches

  • analyse and evaluate design decisions and outcomes to draw plausible conclusions supported by some evidence

  • use some mathematical skills and scientific knowledge to make accurate calculations and inform choices

Grade 8

To achieve grade 8, candidates will be able to:

  • demonstrate and effectively apply comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the principles of design and technology in a range of familiar and unfamiliar situations

  • experiment and innovate to develop and refine fully functioning prototypes safely and effectively, applying relevant technical skills with precision

  • effectively employ sophisticated technical language and a range of communication methods, such as schematic and exploded diagrams, and mathematical modelling

  • critically analyse and evaluate design decisions and outcomes to draw well-evidenced conclusions

  • use a range of mathematical skills and scientific knowledge to make accurate calculations and inform choices