Design and Technology (Product Design)

Course summary

YEAR 12 COURSE CONTENT Want to be a REAL industrial designer, an engineer, a buyer for a company, an editor for a Design publication or work in marketing? Then this is the course for you. Students start year 12 exploring the world of design, the role of a real designer and the opportunities available to develop innovative products that have a positive impact on the way we live. We spend some time looking at areas of design that students have a personal interest in so that their work is engaging and interesting for them as individuals. We explore the whole spectrum of design so that students are able to specialise in their chosen area with confidence. Some examples are furniture design, jewellery design, product design, fashion, sports equipment design, design for children, graphic design, architecture, landscape design, interior design, aeronautical design, automotive design etc. In term 1, students embark upon the Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) which they continue to work on throughout year 13. With key members of the A Level team students will also work on core aspects of the course which will prepare them for a mock examination later in the year. YEAR 13 COURSE CONTENT In year 13, students continue to work on a major project which forms their NonExamined Assessment which is 50% of their final grade. Within this unit of work, students are permitted to specialise in the area of design that interests them and with any material or range of materials they choose. Students work on this unit for most of the year and this involves key sections of study: identifying an opportunity, problem or need, iterative design which involves design, development, modelling, testing and evaluation. The course is very well established and consistently achieves fantastic results. We run an annual exhibition of final project work which includes a wide range of design genres, for example: design for children, furniture, fashion, graphics, jewellery, transport, interior design, design for sport and architecture. This exhibition attracts the media and many students are featured for their innovation. A large proportion of our students go on to become acclaimed designers, engineers or marketing specialists.