Practical Woodwork - National 5

Vale of Leven Academy

This course develops skills in three main areas. Each area provides opportunities for candidates to understand safe working practices, sustainability issues, and good practice in recycling within a workshop environment. Each area of study covers a different set of woodworking skills. All areas include skills and associated knowledge in measuring, marking out, cutting and jointing techniques.

The areas of study are:

Flat-frame construction

Candidates develop skills, knowledge and understanding in the use of woodworking tools and in making woodworking joints and assemblies commonly used in flat-frame joinery, involving complex features. Candidates develop their ability to read and use drawings and diagrams depicting both familiar and unfamiliar woodwork tasks.

Carcase construction

Candidates develop skills, knowledge and understanding in the use of woodworking tools and in making woodworking joints and assemblies commonly used in carcase construction, involving complex features. This may include working with manufactured board or with frames and panels. Candidates use working drawings or diagrams in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts that require some interpretation on their part.

Machining and finishing

Candidates develop skills, knowledge and understanding in using machine and power tools. Candidates also develop skills in a variety of woodworking surface preparations and finishing techniques.

Question paper 60 marks

The question paper gives candidates an opportunity to demonstrate skills, knowledge and understanding relating to:

• Measuring and marking out tools

• Reading and interpreting drawings

• Materials

• Bench work

• Flat-frame construction and assembly

• Carcase construction and assembly

• Use and care of machines and power tools

• Surface preparation and finish

• Health and safety

• Sustainability and recycling

The question paper has 60 marks out of a total of 130 marks. This is scaled by SQA to represent 30% of the overall marks for the course assessment. A proportion of marks are available for more challenging questions, which generally require interpretation and/or integration of more complex practical woodworking situations. This could be in the complexity of the expected response, the descriptions and/or justifications of more detailed and/or complex processes, or problem-solving.

Practical activity 70 marks

The practical activity allows candidates to demonstrate the application of skills and knowledge developed during the course to produce a finished product, to a given standard and specification. The practical activity will be to manufacture a product and complete a log book. The log book will be provided as part of the assessment task. Marks are awarded for:

• Log book

• Flat-frame construction

• Carcase construction

• Machining/turnery

• Finishing

• Overall assembly

The practical activity gives candidates an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and understanding:

• selecting and using a range of woodworking tools, equipment, materials and finishes

• reading, interpreting and following given working drawings, outline specification information and cutting lists

• marking out, cutting and shaping component parts

• manufacturing a finished product to given drawings and standards

• working and using tools and equipment in accordance with recognised procedures and safe working practices.

The practical activity has 70 marks out of a total of 130 marks. This is scaled by SQA to represent 70% of the overall marks for the course assessment.