Design and Technology

Students will engage in a range of design and make projects and theory-based lessons to prepare them for the rigours of GCSE Design & Technology.

KS3 Plan of study 2026/27

Assessment Requirements: 

Component 1 - Written paper – 100 marks - 50%

This section contains a mixture of different question styles, including open-response, graphical, calculation and extended-open-response questions. There will be 15 marks of calculation questions in component 1.

Students Study:

Students may only choose one design and technology specialist materials category from the following list:

• Design and technology – Graphics
• Design and technology – Resistant materials

Component 2 – Coursework - 100 marks - 50%

Students will undertake a project based on a contextual challenge released by Edexcel on the 1st of June, a year before certification. The project will test students’ skills in investigating, designing, making and evaluating a prototype of a product. Tasks will be internally assessed and externally moderated. The marks are awarded for each part as follows.

1. Investigate (16 marks)
2. Design (42 marks)
3. Make (36 marks)
4. Evaluate (6 marks)

At the end of the course all students will gain a GCSE in design & technology but, although they will have followed different subject specific pathways, these will not be named specifically on the final qualification. The GCSE design & technology qualification will operate on a level 9–1 awarding.

The tasks for 2024-25 academic year were: 

Theme 1 – Sporting Achievements

Contextual challenges

(a) How can products be used to celebrate sporting achievements?

(b) How can products be used to encourage people to participate in a sport?

Theme 2 – Pre-school Childrens’ Development

Contextual challenges

(a) How can products be used to help preschool children develop their capacity to learn?

(b) How can products be used to encourage pre-school children to get along with others?

Theme 3 – Local Landmarks

Contextual challenges

(a) How can products be used to educate people about a local landmark?

(b) How can products be used to improve the experience of visitors at a local landmark?

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 63.3% grades 9-4, 28.5% grades 9-5, 13.3% grades 9-7.

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving  

30% grades 9-4 in Design & Technology

60% grades 9-4 in Graphics

Curriculum map

Technological skills are in high demand. It is an area of skills shortage and employment is high with excellent career prospects.

A technology qualification is highly beneficial in a wide range of careers. With technology increasingly influencing our lives, an understanding of technology is useful in many fields of employment. Beyond this there are a wide number of options from degree studies through to basic vocational levels in a wide range of industries. At degree level, study in technology may follow a design route, science route or technical route although technology subjects are not valued simply for their development of practical skills related to particular industries but also for their emphasis on creative thinking, research, testing solutions, project management and working as part of a team. 

If you have any questions to ask about this course, Miss Langshaw will be pleased to discuss them with you.

List of suggested wider reading sources/videos and websites:

Books

• Design for the 21st Century (Icons Series) - Charlotte Fiell and Peter Fiell
• Thames and Hudson - the eco-design handbook - by Alastair Fuad-Luke.
• DATA - Designing with Pro/Desktop - John Hutchinson
• Design Sketching (ISBN 978-91-976807-0-7) by Erik Olofsson and Klara Sjolen
• The Eco-Design Handbook ISBN-13: 978-0500288399
• Design Museum: Contemporary Design ISBN-13: 978-1847325983
• Product Designs: Process ISBN-13: 978-1856697255
• Making IT Manufacturing Techniques For Product Design ISBN-13: 978-1856697491
• Drawing For Designers ISBN-13: 978-1856697439

Websites and Magazines:

bitesize

technology student

architects journal

dexigner

dezeen

design museum

design week

design council

core77

TV Shows

At GCSE there are two options you can pick within GCSE - Timbers specialism (focusing on woods) called Product design Timbers and then a graphics specialism (focusing on Papers and boards) called Product design Graphics. Below is information on both of these courses to help you decide. 

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY – GRAPHICS (PAPERS AND BOARDS)

Examination Level: GCSE

Examination Group: EDEXCEL

Examination Value: 50%

Examination Structure: 1hr 45mins paper

Coursework: 50%

Assessment Requirements:

Component 1 - Written paper – 100 marks - 50%

This section contains a mixture of different question styles, including open-response, graphical, calculation and extended-open-response questions. There will be 15 marks of calculation questions in component 1.

Students Study:

Students may only choose one design and technology specialist materials category from the following list:

• Design and technology – Graphics
• Design and technology – Resistant materials

Component 2 – Coursework - 100 marks - 50%

Students will undertake a project based on a contextual challenge released by Edexcel on the 1st of June, a year before certification. The project will test students’ skills in investigating, designing, making and evaluating a prototype of a product. Tasks will be internally assessed and externally moderated. The marks are awarded for each part as follows.

1. – Investigate (16 marks)
2. – Design (42 marks)
3. – Make (36 marks)
4. – Evaluate (6 marks)

At the end of the course, all students will gain a GCSE in design & technology but, although they will have followed different subject-specific pathways, these will not be named specifically on the final qualification. The GCSE design & technology qualification will operate on a level 9–1 awarding.

Design and technology – Graphics

When designing or modifying a product, students should be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of papers and boards, components and manufacturing processes.

Students will learn:

· The sources, origins, physical and working properties of papers and boards and their social and ecological footprint.

· The way in which the selection of papers and boards is influenced.

· Alternative processes that can be used to manufacture paper and board products.

· Specialist techniques, tools, equipment and processes that can be used to shape, fabricate, construct and assemble a high-quality paper and board prototype.

· Appropriate surface treatments and finishes that can be applied to papers and boards for functional and aesthetic purposes.

Career Value

Technological skills are in high demand. It is an area of skills shortage and employment is high with excellent career prospects. A technology qualification is highly beneficial in a wide range of careers. With technology increasingly influencing our lives, an understanding of technology is useful in many fields of employment. Beyond this there are a wide number of options from degree studies through to basic vocational levels in a wide range of industries. At degree level, study in technology may follow a design route, science route or technical route although Technology subjects are not valued simply for their development of practical skills related to particular industries but also for their emphasis on creative thinking, research, testing solutions, project management and working as part of a team. If you have any questions to ask about this course, Miss Philip, Mr Hill, Mr Nadeem or Mr Forde will be pleased to discuss them with you.

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY – PRODUCT DESIGN (TIMBERS)

Examination Level: GCSE

Examination Group: Edexcel

Examination Value: 50%

Examination Structure: 1hr 45mins paper

Coursework: 50%

Assessment Requirements:

Component 1 - Written paper – 100 marks - 50%

This section contains a mixture of different question styles, including open-response, graphical, calculation and extended-open-response questions. There will be 15 marks of calculation questions in component 1.

Students Study:

Students may only choose one design and technology specialist materials category from the following list:

· Design and technology – Graphics

· Design and technology – Resistant Materials

Component 2 – Coursework - 100 marks - 50%

Students will undertake a project based on a contextual challenge released by Edexcel on the 1st of June, a year before certification. The project will test students’ skills in investigating, designing, making and evaluating a prototype of a product. Tasks will be internally assessed and externally moderated. The marks are awarded for each part as follows.

1. – Investigate (16 marks)
2. – Design (42 marks)
3. – Make (36 marks)
4. – Evaluate (6 marks)

At the end of the course all students will gain a GCSE in design & technology but, although they will have followed different subject specific pathways, these will not be named specifically on the final qualification. The GCSE design & technology qualification will operate on a level 9–1 awarding.

Design and technology – Resistant Materials

When designing or modifying a product, students should be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of timbers, components and manufacturing processes.

Students will learn:

• The sources, origins, physical and working properties of each natural and manufactured timber and their social and ecological footprint.
• What influences the selection of each natural and manufactured timber.
• The impact of forces and stresses on each natural and manufactured timber and how they can be reinforced and stiffened.
• Typical stock forms, types and sizes used in order to calculate and determine the required quantity of each natural and manufactured timber.
• Alternative processes that can be used to manufacture typical timber products.
• Specialist techniques, tools, equipment and processes that can be used on timber to shape, fabricate, construct and assemble a high-quality prototype.

Career Value

Technological skills are in high demand. It is an area of skills shortage and employment is high with excellent career prospects. A technology qualification is highly beneficial in a wide range of careers. With technology increasingly influencing our lives, an understanding of technology is useful in many fields of employment. Beyond this there are a wide number of options from degree studies through to basic vocational levels in a wide range of industries. At degree level, study in technology may follow a design route, science route or technical route although Technology subjects are not valued simply for their development of practical skills related to particular industries but also for their emphasis on creative thinking, research, testing solutions, project management and working as part of a team. If you have any questions to ask about this course, Miss Philip, Mr Hill, Mr Nadeem or Mr Forde will be pleased to discuss them with you.

For food preparation and nutrition can the attached POS be changed for the one currently in the KS3 section. 

At the top in the main bit of writing can the following paragraph be added at the bottom:

In Food Preparation and Nutrition students have made a range of dishes from fruit salad, pizza bread, gingerbread cookies, scones, puff pastry plaits, mac and cheese, apple crumble and fairy cakes in year 7, flapjacks, burgers, koftas and yule logs of rock road in year 8 and then stir fry, Victoria sponge cake and biscuits in year 9. At GCSE students made dishes such as homemade ice cream, burgers and burger buns, pasta dishes from scratch and lots and lots of chips.

Can a new section be added called - 'deciding on options' with the following information below:

FOOD PREPARATION AND NUTRITION

Examination Level: GCSE

Examination Group: EDUQAS

Examination Value: 50%

Examination Structure: 1hr 45 mins paper

Controlled Assessment: 50% (Task 1: 15% + Task 2: 35%)

Food Preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course that combines practical cooking skills with scientific understanding of food and nutrition. This GCSE will equip you with essential life skills while opening doors to a wide range of career opportunities in the food industry, hospitality, nutrition, and beyond. You'll develop your ability to cook confidently and competently, creating dishes that are not only delicious but also nutritious and suitable for different dietary needs. The course allows you to express your creativity whilst learning about food science, where ingredients come from, and how to make informed choices about what you eat.

Throughout the course, you'll master a variety of cooking techniques and skills, from basic knife work to advanced preparation methods. You'll explore the science behind cooking - understanding how heat affects ingredients, why bread rises, and how to achieve the perfect texture in your dishes. The course covers nutrition in depth, teaching you how to plan balanced meals for different life stages and dietary requirements, and how to adapt recipes to make them healthier. You'll also investigate food provenance, sustainability, and food safety, gaining knowledge that's increasingly important in today's world. The practical element is substantial - you'll spend significant time in our food technology rooms developing your skills and creating impressive dishes.

The course is assessed through 50% practical work and 50% written examination, allowing you to showcase both your hands-on abilities and your theoretical knowledge. Your practical assessments will include a food investigation (exploring the working characteristics of ingredients) and a food preparation assessment where you'll plan, prepare, and present a menu of dishes. Even if you don't pursue a food-related career, the practical skills and nutritional knowledge you gain will benefit you throughout your life, enabling you to cook healthy, cost-effective meals and make informed food choices for yourself and your future family.

Summary of Assessment: 50%-50%

Coursework – NEA 1 – The science investigation. 15% - One short task to include investigation and making. This will be internally assessed and externally moderated. Experiments are completed on foods/ the ingredients used for specific jobs in food – One example was testing how different sugars affected the outcome of biscuits.

Coursework – NEA 2 – The food preparation assessment. 35% - One task set by WJEC in Year 11 and carried out in class time to include supportive investigational work and practical outcomes. This is the large 3 hour practical. Example themes are: Celebrations and Dietary needs. Students have to research the theme and then decide on three dishes to make around the theme.

Examination 50% - One 1hr. 45 min. paper. All questions compulsory. There will be one exam which is taken by all students at the end of Year 11.

Career Value:

Food Preparation and Nutrition should not be valued simply for the development of practical skills. The new GCSE specification has placed an increased emphasis on students developing high level analytical and creative thinking skills sought by employers in all business sectors. In addition, the course would be a great early foundation for courses and careers related to business, food technology, culinary art, science, nutrition, medicine, nursing, catering and hospitality, child care, teaching, health and social care. If you have any further questions to ask about this course Ms Mpedzisi will be pleased to answer them.