GCSE Design and Technology
|
|
|
|
Specification |
AQA – GCSE Design and Technology https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/design-and-technology/gcse/design-and-technology-8552 |
|
Course Content
|
Year 9: Section A – Core technical principles (20 marks) A mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions assessing a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding. |
|
Year 10: Section B – Specialist technical principles (30 marks) Several short answer questions (2–5 marks) and one extended response to assess a more in depth knowledge of technical principles. |
|
|
Year 11: Section C – Designing and making principles (50 marks) A mixture of short answer and extended response questions. |
|
|
Assessment |
Exam content:
Paper:
Non-exam assessment (NEA):
|
|
List of Resources |
The best revision guides:
(CGP GCSE D&T 9-1 Revision) The best revision websites: |
Section A – Core technical principles (20 marks in the exam)
A mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions assessing a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding.
Content: |
What you need to be able to do |
Tick when revised |
|
Making effective design choices. |
In order to make effective design choices students will need a breadth of core technical knowledge and understanding that consists of:
|
|
|
Industry The impact of new and emerging technologies on: |
The design and organisation of the workplace including automation and the use of robotics buildings and the place of work tools and equipment. |
|
|
Enterprise Enterprise based on the development of an effective business innovation: |
|
|
|
Sustainability The impact of resource consumption on the planet: |
Taking into consideration the ecological and social footprint of materials. |
|
|
People |
How technology push/market pull affects choice. Changing job roles due to the emergence of new ways of working driven by technological change. |
|
|
Culture |
Changes in fashion and trends in relation to new and emergent technologies. Respecting people of different faiths and beliefs. |
|
|
Society |
How products are designed and made to avoid having a negative impact on others:
|
|
|
Environment |
Positive and negative impacts new products have on the environment:
|
|
|
Production techniques |
The contemporary and potential future use of:
|
|
|
How the critical |
That it is important to consider scenarios from different perspectives and considering:
|
|
|
Energy generation and storage Students should understand how energy is generated and stored and how this is used as the basis for the selection of products and power systems. |
Fossil fuels How power is generated from:
Arguments for and against the selection of fossil fuels. Nuclear power How nuclear power is generated. Arguments for and against the selection of nuclear power. Renewable energy How power is generated from:
Arguments for and against the selection of renewable energy. Energy storage systems including batteries Kinetic pumped storage systems. Alkaline and re-chargeable batteries. |
|
|
Developments in new materials Developments made through the invention of new or improved processes e.g. Graphene, Metal foams and Titanium. Alterations to perform a particular function e.g. Coated metals, Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) and Nanomaterials. |
Smart materials That materials can have one or more properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, or PH e.g. shape memory alloys, thermochromic pigments and photochromic pigments Composite materials That composite materials are produced by combining two or more different materials to create an enhanced material e.g. glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CRP). Technical textiles How fibres can be spun to make enhanced fabrics e.g. conductive fabrics, fire resistant fabrics, Kevlar and microfibers incorporating micro encapsulation. |
|
|
Systems approach to designing Students should consider electronic systems including programmable components to provide functionality to products and processes, and enhance and customise their operation. |
Inputs The use of light sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors and switches. Processes The use of programming microcontrollers as counters, timers and for decision making, to provide functionality to products and processes. Outputs The use of buzzers, speakers and lamps, to provide functionality to products and processes. |
|
|
Mechanical devices Different types of movement The functions of mechanical devices to produce linear, rotary, reciprocating and oscillating movements. |
Changing magnitude and direction of force Levers:
Linkages:
Rotary systems:
|
|
|
Materials and their working properties Students should know and understand the categorisation of the types and properties of the following materials. |
Papers and boards Students should have an overview of the main categories and types of papers and boards:
boards including:
Natural and manufactured timbers Students should have an overview of the main categories and types of natural and manufactured timbers: hardwoods including:
softwoods including:
manufactured boards including:
Metals and alloys Students should have an overview of the main categories and types of metals and alloys: ferrous metals including:
non-ferrous metals including:
alloys including:
Polymers Students should have an overview of the main categories and types of polymers: thermoforming including:
thermosetting including:
Textiles Students should have an overview of the main categories and types of textiles: natural fibres including:
synthetic fibres including:
blended and mixed fibres including:
woven including:
non-woven including:
knitted textiles including:
|
|
|
Material properties Students should have an understanding of the working and physical properties of the materials in material categories. |
In relation to the main categories outlined above (not the specific materials identified), students should know and understand physical properties such as:
In relation to the main categories outlined above (not the specific materials identified), students should know and understand working properties such as:
|
|
Section B – Specialist technical principles (30 marks in the exam)
Several short answer questions (2–5 marks) and one extended response to assess a more in depth knowledge of technical principles.
Content: |
What you need to be able to do |
Tick when revised |
|
In addition to the core technical principles, all students should develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the following specialist technical principles: • selection of materials or components • forces and stresses • ecological and social footprint • sources and origins • using and working with materials • stock forms, types and sizes • scales of production • specialist techniques and processes • surface treatments and finishes |
Each specialist technical principle should be delivered through at least one material category or system. Not all of the principles outlined above relate to every material category or system, but all must be taught. The categories through which the principles can be delivered are:
|
|
|
Selection of materials or components In relation to at least one material category or system, students should be able to select materials and components considering the factors listed below. |
Functionality: application of use, ease of working. Aesthetics: surface finish, texture and colour. Environmental factors: recyclable or reused materials. Availability: ease of sourcing and purchase. Cost: bulk buying. Social factors: social responsibility. Cultural factors: sensitive to cultural influences. Ethical factors: purchased from ethical sources such
|
|
|
Forces and stresses In relation to at least one material category or system, students should know and understand the impact of forces and stresses and the way in which materials can be reinforced and stiffened. Materials and objects can be manipulated to resist and work with forces and stresses. |
Materials can be enhanced to resist and work with forces and stresses to improve functionality. How materials can be reinforced, stiffened or made more flexible: e.g. lamination, bending, folding, webbing, fabric interfacing |
|
|
Ecological and social footprint In relation to at least one material category or system, students should have a knowledge and understanding of the ecological and social footprint left by designers. Ecological issues in the design and manufacture of products. |
Deforestation, mining, drilling and farming. Mileage of product from raw material source, manufacture, distribution, user location and final disposal. That carbon is produced during the manufacture of products. The six R’s
Social issues in the design and manufacture of products Safe working conditions; reducing oceanic/ atmospheric pollution and reducing the detrimental
|
|
|
Sources and origins In relation to at least one material category, students should know and understand the sources and origins of materials. |
Primary sources of materials and the main processes involved in converting into workable forms for at least one material area.
|
|
|
Using and working with materials. In relation to at least one material category or system, students should know and understand in addition to material properties, the factors listed below. Properties of materials. |
Students must know and understand how different properties of materials and components are used in commercial products, how properties influence use and how properties affect performance. Students must know and understand the physical and mechanical properties relevant to commercial products in their chosen area as follows.
|
|
|
The modification of properties for specific purposes |
How to shape and form using cutting, abrasion and addition.
|
|
|
Stock forms, types and sizes. In relation to at least one material category or system, students should know and understand the different stock forms types and sizes in order to calculate and determine the quantity of materials or components required. |
Commercially available types and sizes of materials and components. Textile based materials:
|
|
|
Scales of production. In relation to at least one material category or system, students should be able to select materials and components considering scales of production and referencing the processes listed in Specialist Techniques and processes. |
How products are produced in different volumes. The reasons why different manufacturing methods are used for different production volumes:
|
|
|
Specialist techniques and processes. In relation to at least one material category or system, students should know and understand the factors listed below. The use of production aids. |
How to use measurement/reference points, templates, jigs and patterns where suitable. |
|
|
Tools, equipment and processes. |
A range of tools, equipment and processes that can be used to shape, fabricate, construct and assemble high quality prototypes, as appropriate to the materials and/or components being used including wastage, such as:
addition, such as:
deforming and reforming such as:
|
|
|
How materials are cut shaped and formed to a tolerance. |
The manufacture to minimum and maximum measurements. |
|
|
Commercial processes |
|
|
|
Quality control |
The application and use of quality control to include measurable and quantitative systems used during manufacture.
|
|
|
Surface treatments and finishes In relation to at least one material category or system, students should have knowledge and understanding of surface treatments and finishes. |
The preparation and application of treatments and finishes to enhance functional and aesthetic properties.
|
|
Section C – Designing and making principles (50 marks in the exam)
A mixture of short answer and extended response questions.
Content: |
What you need to be able to do |
Tick when revised |
|
Substantial design and make task |
|
|
|
Designing and making principles Students should know and understand that all design and technology activities take place within a wide range of contexts. They should also understand how the prototypes they develop must satisfy wants or needs and be fit for their intended user. For example, the home, school, work or leisure. Investigation, primary and secondary data Use primary and secondary data to understand client and/or user needs |
How the following techniques are used and applied:
|
|
|
How to write a design brief and produce a design and manufacturing specification |
Students should consider their own needs, wants and interests and those of others. |
|
|
Carry out investigations in order to identify problems and needs |
Why a designer considers alterations to a brief and modifying the brief as required. |
|
|
Environmental, social and economic challenge |
The environment, social and economic challenges that influence design and making. How the following might present opportunities and constraints that influence the processes of designing and making:
|
|
|
The work of others |
Students should investigate, analyse and evaluate the work of past and present designers and companies to inform their own designing. Students should investigate the work of a minimum of two of the following designers:
Students should investigate the work of a minimum of two of the following companies:
|
|
|
Design strategies Generate imaginative and creative design ideas using a range of different design strategies |
How different strategies can be applied, including:
|
|
|
Explore and develop their own ideas |
How this can be done using an iterative process including:
|
|
|
Communication of design ideas |
Develop, communicate, record and justify design ideas using a range of appropriate techniques such as:
|
|
|
Prototype development |
Design and develop prototypes in response to client wants and needs. Note the term prototype can be used to describe either a product or system. How the development of prototypes:
Students should know and understand how to evaluate prototypes and be able to:
|
|
|
Selection of materials and components |
Appropriate materials and components to make a prototype. How to select and use materials and components appropriate to the task considering:
|
|
|
Tolerances |
Work accurately using tolerances. How a range of materials are cut, shaped and formed to designated tolerances. Why tolerances are applied during making activities. |
|
|
Material management Cut materials efficiently and minimise waste |
The importance of planning the cutting and shaping of material to minimise waste e.g. nesting of shapes and parts to be cut from material stock forms. How additional material may be removed by a cutting method or required for seam allowance, joint overlap etc. |
|
|
Use appropriate marking out methods, data points and coordinates |
The value of using measurement and marking out to create an accurate and quality prototype. The use of data points and coordinates including the use of reference points, lines and surfaces, templates, jigs and/or patterns. |
|
|
Specialist tools and equipment |
How to select and use specialist tools and equipment, including hand tools, machinery, digital design and manufacture, appropriate for the material and/or task to complete quality outcomes. How to use them safely to protect themselves and others from harm. |
|
|
Specialist techniques and processes |
How to select and use specialist techniques and processes appropriate for the material and/or task and use them to the required level of accuracy in order to complete quality outcomes. How to use them safely to shape, fabricate and construct a high quality prototype, including techniques such as wastage, addition, deforming and reforming. |
|
|
Surface treatments and finishes |
Students should know and understand that surface treatments and finishes are applied for functional and aesthetic purposes. How to prepare a material for a treatment or finish. How to apply an appropriate surface treatment or finish. |
|