Design and Technology (Product Design)

Course summary

Year 12 has evolved into a skills acquisition and refining course, without the restrictions of set projects by the exam board. Students can learn a whole host of new creative and imaginative methods for idea generation, a range of presentation techniques using media that have not been available at GCSE. They will practise the process of iterative design, as is the method at degree level and in design studios the world over, as well as learning a variety of new model making techniques, new tools equipment and machinery and working with more advanced materials. Year 13 is a more conventional ‘design and make’ exercise which now equates to 50% of the overall A-level mark. A project involving third party clients giving feedback, strong research skills resulting in high quality design creations is of course the target. The manufacture of the product utilising skills and machinery usage techniques refined in year 12 will be the outcome, of course completed by rigorous testing and evaluation. Both years have a theory requirement where students learn in detail about the world of manufacturing on mass production scales. This is examined at the end of year 13 and counts as 50% of the course.