Design & Technology

GCSE Design and Technology will prepare students to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world. Students will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and Technology
including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Students will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise. Our GCSE allows students to study core technical and designing and making principles, including a broad range of design processes, materials techniques and equipment. They will also have the opportunity to study specialist technical principles in greater depth.  

What is assessed

Paper 1

• Core technical principles
• Specialist technical principles
• Designing and making principles

In addition at least 15% of the exam will assess Maths and at least 10% of the exam will assess Science.

How it is assessed?

Written exam: 2 hours which is:

• 100 marks
• 50% of GCSE Questions

Section A – Core Technical Principles (20 marks)
A mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions assessing a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding.

Section B – Specialist Technical Principles (30 marks)
Several short answer questions (2-5 marks) and one extended response to assess a more in depth knowledge of technical principles.

Section C – Designing and Making Principles (50 marks)
A mixture of short answer and extended response questions.

Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) = 30–35 hours approx.

• 100 marks
• 50% of GCSE Task(s) - Substantial design and make task

Assessment criteria:

• Identifying and investigating design possibilities; producing a design brief and specification; generating design ideas; developing design ideas; realising design ideas; analysing and evaluating
• Contextual challenges to be released annually by AQA on 1 June in the year prior to the submission of the NEA.  Students will produce a prototype and a portfolio of evidence.  

Please note: work will be marked by teachers and moderated by AQA. 

Post-16 Choices
If you were to take Design Technology further then you can take on the following courses at post-16:

• AQA Product Design A-Level or OCR Art & Design 3D Design A-Level

You could then take this on to university you could do courses in Product Design, Architecture

NB: This is best route to the AQA Product Design A-Level course that is offered here at Oxted School

Staff Contact
Miss E Wicks - emma.wicks@oxted.thpt.org.uk