Design Technology
Aims
To develop creative, innovative, and practical skills through a wide range of engaging and purposeful activities. To provide opportunities for learners to investigate technological processes, principles, and materials, deepening their understanding of how products are designed and made. To encourage creative and collaborative working through high-level thinking tasks that involve informed design decision-making across a variety of stimulating, real-world contexts. To nurture a strong awareness and understanding of the impact of Design and Technology applications on everyday life and the wider world.
Introduction – Why Choose a Design & Technology option?
GCSE Design & Technology is a dynamic and forward-looking subject that equips learners with high-level cognitive, communication, and problem-solving skills essential for success in a rapidly changing world. Through engaging, hands-on learning, students explore and evaluate the use of materials in real products and designs, developing a strong understanding of sustainability and the impact of technological choices on the Earth’s natural resources.
The subject plays a vital role in inspiring creativity, innovation, and practical confidence in young people. It empowers students to become independent, resilient learners with a strong sense of identity as designers and makers. By nurturing key technological skills and encouraging imaginative thinking, Design & Technology prepares students for future careers in the 21st century while building self-confidence, ambition, and a passion for shaping the world around them.
Approach And Topics
The GCSE course in Key Stage 4 offers an inspiring route into the world of Design & Technology, building on the strong foundations established in Key Stage 3. Students develop essential designing and making skills while exploring core and specialist technical principles, gaining hands-on experience in engaging and innovative contexts. They have the opportunity to work across the department’s specialist areas, including multi-materials workshops, fashion and textiles, graphic communication, and CAD/CAM manufacturing.
Through creative problem-solving, innovation, and experimentation, learners build practical expertise, confidence, and technical knowledge, unlocking their potential as future designers, engineers, and innovators. This dynamic curriculum not only equips students with the skills needed for further study or careers in the 21st-century workforce but also nurtures independent thinking, collaboration, and a passion for shaping the world around them.
Assessment Examination Board : AQA GCSE Design & Technology
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Unit 1 - 2 hour written examination 100 marks (50%)
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Unit 2 – Non-exam assessment (NEA) Designing and Making 100 marks (50%) (35 Hours)
Each student will be required to independently produce a controlled assessed 20-page A3 portfolio of evidence and final working prototype.
Further Education & Career Pathways
GCSE Design & Technology opens the door to a wide range of careers in the creative, engineering and manufacturing industries. It is also excellent preparation for careers in many other fields e.g. medicine, law and computer science. Whatever career you choose, the knowledge and skills you learn, particularly those concerned with rapidly developing technologies, will be extremely valuable. The ability to work independently or in a team, to solve complex problems, to research, to critically analyse – these are skills that are highly prized by employers. If you want to take these and your practical skills to a further level, there are options at post-16 colleges at A level and BTEC, in various specialist D&T areas. This could lead to a possible career in industrial/product design, engineering, fashion & marketing, textiles, graphic design; the career possibilities really are endless…!