A Level Design & Technology: Product Design

This is a qualification that reflects a modern and evolving society. The aim of the course is to take a broad view of design and technology, to develop your capacity to design and make products and to appreciate the complex relations between design, materials, manufacture and marketing. You will be able to recognise design needs and develop an understanding of how current global issues, including integrating technology, impacts on today’s world. You will develop the confidence to innovate and produce creative design solutions as you develop your own design brief for a client/end user.

Paper 1

Technical principles

• Written exam: 2 hours and 30 minutes

• 120 marks

• 30% of A-level

Questions Mixture of short answer and extended response.

Paper 2

Designing and making principles

• Written exam: 1 hour and 30 minutes

• 80 marks

• 20% of A-level

Questions Mixture of short answer and extended response questions.

Section A:

• Product Analysis: 30 marks

• Up to 6 short answer questions based on visual stimulus of product(s).

Section B:

• Commercial manufacture: 50 marks

• Mixture of short and extended response questions

NEA (Non-Examined Assessment)

Practical application of technical principles, designing and making principles

• Substantial design and make project

• 100 marks

• 50% of A-level

Written or digital design portfolio and photographic evidence of final prototype

Grade 5 or above in GCSE Maths

Grade 4 in Product Design or another creative subject are desirable

Not only does this course give you outstanding experience in designing and making in new exciting way, it opens up a range of possibilities on leaving school in careers such as:

Architecture, Advertising, Fashion Design, Graphic Designer, Web Design, Typographer, Interior Design, Jeweller, Ceramicist, Product Engineer, Furniture Designer, Packaging, Communications, Film, Software, Transport, Product Engineering, Landscape, etc. The subject gives you a firm grounding in the skills of creativity problem-solving, communication and ICT which would apply to all careers.