(Exam Board: AQA) 

 

WHY STUDY DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY? 

Design and technology exist all around us; from the ubiquitous, everyday ball point pen to the towering architecture and space of the buildings we inhabit. Everyday design impacts on our lives that we sometimes take it for granted. In this GCSE course we will explore the world of design and technology, use it to inform potential designs and build on the making skills developed during Key Stage Three. The course will improve design, make, research, analytical and evaluative skills to encourage independent and creative thinking to take students forward into a wide and expansive range of pathways that look for the inventive and innovative problem solvers of the future. 

WHAT YOU WILL STUDY: 

Over the two years of the course you will:  

• Design and make prototypes that are fit for purpose.  

• Identify, investigate and outline design possibilities to address needs and wants.  

• Analyse and evaluate design decisions and outcomes, including for prototypes made by themselves and others, as well wider issues in design and technology.  

• Demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of technical principles in addition to designing and making principles. 

ASSESSMENT 

There are two main elements of the course that make up the full GCSE. A written exam at the end of the second year and a Non-Examined Assessment (NEA), both of which are weighted at 50%. The NEA project in its entirety should take between 30-35 hours to complete and consist of a working prototype and a concise portfolio of approximately 20 pages of A3 paper, equivalent A4 paper or the digital equivalent. 

TRIPS 

To start the NEA towards the end of Year 10 there will be a trip to visit the Design Museum and there will be the opportunity to learn from guest designers and makers.    

CAREER OPPORTUNITES 

Fashion designer, tailor, product designer, architect, software engineer, civil engineer, carpenter. 

“The best way to predict the future is to design it.” Buckminster Fuller 

Contact: Mr Michael Reskalla m.reskalla@maidenerleghtrust.org