Introduction

Design and Technology is a very popular subject with many St Mary's pupils. It offers the opportunity for students to be creative and imaginative with their design work and involves work of a practical nature, manufacturing a variety of products in the workshop.

Students become familiar with a wide range of resistant materials including different woods, metals and plastics.

At AS level students acquire a body of knowledge and practical skills that cover all the areas needed to design and make useful and attractive products. The AS course comprises of two units of assessment.  It may be awarded as a discrete qualification, or it may be the first half of the full A' level.

‘A' level Design and Technology is a suitable progression for those students who have studied the subject at GCSE. However, it is open to all students as the AS course in itself acts as a foundation for study at A2 level.

AS

Unit 1 AS - 60%    A2 - 30%

Portfolio of Creative Skills.

In this unit students are given the opportunity to develop their creative, technical and practical skills through a series of product investigation, design and manufacturing activities.

• Product Investigation - Students analyse an existing commercial product using their knowledge and understanding of designing and making.
• Product Design - Students respond creatively to a design brief to produce a range of initial ideas, which are developed to a final design.
• Product Manufacture - In this section students use their production and planning skills to manufacture a complete product from resistant materials.

Unit 2 AS - 40%    A2 - 20%

In this unit students will develop a knowledge and understanding of a wide range of materials and processes used in the field of Design & Technology. Assessment in this unit is through a 1 hour 30 minutes examination paper, set and marked by the Board.

A2

Unit 3 - 40%

Designing for the Future.

In this unit students will develop their knowledge and understanding of a range of modern design and manufacturing practices and contemporary design issues.

The assessment of this unit is through a 2 hour examination paper set and marked by Edexcel.

Unit 4 - 60%

Commercial Design.

In this unit, students are given the opportunity to apply the skills they have acquired and developed to design and make a product of their own choice that complies with the requirements of a resistant materials technology product. Students are encouraged to be creative and adventurous in their work, producing an outcome which is manufactured to a high standard. The choice of product to be designed should have a real commercial use and a client or user group defined as a third party. A key feature of this unit is for students to consider issues related to sustainability and the impact their product will have on the environment.

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