Design and technology
AQA – GCSE
Contact: Ms H O’Hara | hohara@eastleake-ac.org.uk
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. This GCSE allows students to study core technical, 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.
Method of assessment
Written exam: 2 hours
• 100 marks
• 50% of GCSE
Coursework – non-exam assessment (NEA):
30–35 hours
• 100 marks
• 50% of GCSE
Topic areas covered
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 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.
Coursework content – tasks:
• 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
Work will be marked by teachers and moderated by AQA
Engineering
WJEC Level 1 and 2 vocational award
Designed for learners with an interest in the world of design and engineering, the course provides students with the ability to read technical drawings / manufacturing specifications and apply this to produce an engineered product. Students will learn how to use different tools and materials precisely.
Topic areas covered
Solving engineering problems:
- different sectors in engineering including sustainability;
- health and safety in the engineering environment;
- understanding engineering materials and their properties; and
- external examination includes technical drawings, mathematics and average literacy skills to be able to technically solve problems. Approximately one third of marks is maths based.
Engineering design:
- analysis of brief
- product analysing
- specification
- generating and evaluating ideas
- producing third angle orthographic projection (2D design, working to scale)
- produce a 3D engineering drawing usiung Google sketch up
Producing an engineered product:
- interpreting engineering drawings
- using tools and equipment correctly
- identifying resources and stages of making
- manufacturing processes used in engineering
- evaluating quality of engineered products.