GCSE Design Technology
Those students who choose to follow a GCSE course in Design and Technology will develop awareness, understanding and expertise in those areas of creative thinking which can be expresses and developed through investigation and research, planning, designing, making and evaluation.
This is essential as the course requires a high level of design and innovation; the examiners require imaginative well-made products that solve a real need.
So can you draw in 3D and produce interesting designs that reflect the changes in taste and style which we all enjoy and demand from new products?
Equipment
The course requires you to provide your own drawing tools and folder storage. You need pencils, colouring pencils and fine liner black pens plus flip folders that cost £3 and the revision guide which costs £2. You will need to buy all of these, some of these items can be bought in school.
Material
The best products often use high quality materials such as brass and oak. These materials require you to save and buy them. All materials are now expensive but we have pine at £2.47 per metre. All components are increasing in price and you will need to calculate the cost of your products and pay for them. £20 is not an uncommon price to pay for your product at GCSE.
Assessment
Controlled Assessment Task Unit 2 (60%)
The basics:
- This replaces the coursework element of the present course
- Start to think in terms of Control Assessment Task not project work
- In simple terms a design and make task in 30 hours
- All the work is to be done in school
- It is work that is done under supervision
- It is to be completed in Year 11 only
- The Project Briefs are set by the board (principal examiner for each focus area sets the briefs)
- These will change each year
- The work is to be done in the controlled assessment work book
- The controlled assessment workbook is to be downloaded from the WJEC website
- The controlled assessment workbook is to be A3 in size
- There is space on each page fro a comment and mark
- The work will be moderated each year
Examination Unit 1 (40%)
The basics:
- It is now one focus area specific examination
- It is split into two sections
- Section A will have questions specifically about design issues
- Section B will have questions about the respective focus area resistant materials
- It is now a 2 hour examination
- The students will need extended practice to be able to do the examination
- The examination can be done in year 10 and/or year 11; the best mark being carried forward
Further study
This course can lead to A level and AS product in the sixth form
