Design & Technology: Product Design

Course summary

Design & Technology offers an opportunity to solve real problems through designing and manufacture of products or systems. Students develop depth of knowledge and understanding with a focus on Product Design. The subject is inspiring, rigorous and practical, encouraging creativity to develop and modify designs, and to design and make prototypes considering user needs, wants, aspirations and values. Content includes: • Designing and innovation • Materials and components • Processes • Industrial and commercial practice • Product analysis and systems • Human responsibility • Public interaction – marketing and research THE FUTURE: The A Level may lead on to a wide range of employment, higher education or higher-level apprenticeship routes, including Product design, Design (furniture, industrial, interior etc), engineering (mechanical, civil, structural, aeronautical, environmental etc) as well as materials science and construction management, project management and quantity surveying and planning. YEAR 12 & 13: Component 1: (Examination) Design and Technology in the 21st century (50%, 100 marks): The written examination includes structured and extended writing questions. Component 2: (NEA) A sustained design and make project (50%, 100 marks): The NEA is a sustained design and make project, based on a brief developed by the student.