Design Technology

Course information

Aims and content of the course

A GCSE in Design and Technology offers an opportunity for students to identify and solve problems through designing and making products. Students need to be creative, practical and hardworking. There is a written element to this subject, and students will develop their research, evaluative and reporting skills.


They will be taught practical making skills through a series of projects to develop their modelling techniques using wood, plastic and metal work skills. Students need to be self motivated and able to think in sequence to create their individual projects.

Please be aware that this course is not just practical and that there will be written assignments as well as design drawing and evaluations.

Course Breakdown

Assessment/examinations

50% written exam

50% coursework

  • The exam is content heavy with a focus on materials knowledge, design theory and linked maths and science topics. The paper is a 2 hour exam and is out of 100 marks.

  • The coursework begins in June of year 10 and is a 56 slide folder of work that explores, designs and develops a solution to the problem set by the exam board. This is a great opportunity for putting a real world focus to design solutions and would suit a student who is both practically minded and creative.


Please be aware that the practical outcome is only worth 15% of this course and that the main focus is on theory, research, design and evaluative skills.


Engineering

In year 10 students who are studying Design Technology will be given the opportunity to select a pathway from Design and Technology to a Level 1/2 vocational Award in Engineering at GCSE. This option would mostly suit those students who have chosen the purple route for their choices. WJEC is the exam board for the Engineering course we currently offer in the school.

Assessments/examinations

60% Coursework

40% Written exam

Coursework has two units, Unit 1 worth 40% and Unit 2 worth 20%.

  • Unit 1: Manufacturing Engineering Products is a making unit with a theme provided by the exam board.

  • Unit 2: Designing Engineering Products is a design unit with a specification given by the exam board. This will involve designing ideas using hand sketches and CAD drawings using industry standard, FUSION 360 drawing software.

  • In both Units students will be expected to produce a folder as evidence of the work done to be sent to the external examiner for moderation.

Unit 3: Written exam which covers your knowledge of the theory of making, tools and equipment in Engineering. Please note that there is a large portion of challenging maths questions in this exam.

Is this course right for me?

SOME practical. (Not every lesson!)

Lots of theory

Students who pick design and technology are often very creative, they can also pick BTEC Graphics or Art.

Future progression beyond Year 11

A qualification in Design and Technology can lead on to higher or further education. Students could go onto vocational courses or apprenticeships in areas such as Product Design, Fashion Design, Design Engineering, Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Costume Design, Set Design, Materials Technology and Development, Product Testing, Materials Manufacturer and Fabrication.

Students could go on to do A Levels in Design and Technology, Graphic Design, Product Design, Art and Design or Engineering.

This course could lead to a career at a junior or senior level (with higher education) in Architecture, Product Design, Carpentry, Building Trades, Web Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Sign Writing, Furniture Design, Set Design, Manufacture, Teaching.


Further details can be obtained from: Mrs L Keeling; louise.keeling@hdhs.school and Mr S Moyo sam.moyo@hdhs.school

Key Skills you will learn

Manufacturing with Woods

Manufacturing with Plastics

Systems and Control

Electronics

Iterative Design

Developing Ideas

Design Lifecycle

Sustainability in Design

CAD, CAM and CNC

Fabric and Textiles Theory

Manufacturing Theory

Systems and Control Theory

Health and Safety

Students studying Design and Technology must be able to work safely in a workshop at all times.

Students can not take part in pratical learning if they are wearing trainers, 'dolly' or soft canvas shoes. They will be asked to change into our workboots.

Taster Sessions

This session will be delivered alongside the other technology options in lesson, but here is what it will look like.

Task 1: This is a typical exam question with in the final design and technology exam paper.

What are your thoughts about this question?

Is this what you expected?

Have a go at answering the question! Write the answer in your booklet!

Task 2: Here is a fork, come up with a development sketch for a fork more suitable for a small child.