Design and Technology is the inspiring, rigorous and practical subject which prepares all pupils to live and work in the designed and made world.
The department has an excellent academic record with an average pass rate of 96% at GCSE and 100% at A level. The extensive facilities and expertise of the staff allow the pupils to realise most of the design concepts. After studying Technology pupils have gone to study a wide variety of engineering and design disciplines including architecture, civil engineering, product design, fashion design and ship design.
The department encourages all pupils to make full use of the facilities during activity time and prep for both personal and exam projects. As part of the extensive Monday afternoon activity programme the department runs a Robotics Club where pupils develop, build and programme their own mechatronic systems.
Alasdair Purdie BEd joined the college in 1992. He is a residential tutor in Skrine's, coaches senior rugby and hockey, manages the junior tennis team and is the College representative on the OG committee
Miss Gemma Crozier, BTecED
Listen to more pupils and staff tell their stories on our YouTube channel.
GCSE Electronics provides a broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study. It encourages pupils to develop confidence in, and a positive attitude towards, electronics and to recognise its importance in their own lives and in today's technological society.
The subject ensures that pupils have the scientific and mathematical knowledge and understanding, and the engineering skills, to tackle problems in an electronics context. GCSE Electronics is to be studied in such a way as to develop and maintain the pupil’s interest in engineering subjects and the appreciation of their relevance to their everyday lives. The scope and nature of the pupil’s study should be coherent and practical. The practical work enables pupils to see the theoretical knowledge contained in the specification in action and to gain greater understanding of the knowledge in a practical context.
Studying GCSE Electronics enables pupils to:
Assessment Methods
NEA (coursework) 20%
Examination 80%
Content
Component 1 - Discovering Electronics - 40% of qualification
Component 2 - Application of Electronics - 40% of qualification
Component 3 - Extended system design and realisation task - 20% of qualification
Design Technology is an area of study that focuses on planning, designing and creating products which people use. As part of Design Technology the pupils will be able to build up their problem solving, planning, and evaluation skills.
Component 1
Written examination
50% of the qualification
Content overview
Section A: Core
This section is 40 marks and contains a mixture of different question styles, including open-response, graphical, calculation and extended-open-response questions.
Section B: Specialist Areas
This section is 60 marks and contains a mixture of different question styles, including
open-response, graphical, calculation and extended-open-response questions.
Component 2
Non-examined assessment(NEA)
50% of the qualification
Content overview
There are four parts to the assessment:
1 – Investigate
2 – Design
3 – Make
4 – Evaluate
Assessment Methods
NEA (coursework) 50%
Examination 50%
Non-examined assessment (NEA)
This is an integral element of the GCSE and will be undertaken in the Fifth Form. Some example projects are: TV Stand - Quad Bike trailer – Gun case-garden seat - New design of MP3 player - Packaging for a new range of cosmetics - Jewellery range – Exterior and Interior Building Design
The courses make extensive use of Information Technology and develop a broad understanding of the ever changing technological world. Computer use and CAD/CAM is an integral part of the course and the pupils use a range of this including 3D printers, vinyl cutters and lasers cutters. This is in addition to two fully equipped traditional workshops and a large project area.
These courses are appropriate for pupils considering a career in any of the following fields: interior design, graphic design, product design, architecture, electronic engineering, manufacturing, business, stage design, mechanical engineering, agriculture and computing.
This GCSE option forms a good starting basis for A Level Product Design in the Sixth Form.
Design and Technology: Product Design seeks to develop pupils’ knowledge, understanding, skills and application for designing products. Product Design encompasses a wide range of design disciplines but is firmly rooted in the skills required to design and make high quality products. Products that are fit for purpose, satisfy wants and needs, enhance our day-to-day lives and, most importantly, give pupils the opportunity to demonstrate their design and technology capability.
The study of A Level Design and Technology aims to:
Component 1: Principles of Design and Technology
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes
50% of the qualification
Topic 1: Materials
Topic 2: Performance characteristics of materials
Topic 3: Processes and techniques
Topic 4: Digital technologies
Topic 5: Factors influencing the development of products
Topic 6: Effects of technological developments
Topic 7: Potential hazards and risk assessment
Topic 8: Features of manufacturing industries
Topic 9: Designing for maintenance and the cleaner environment
Topic 10: Current legislation
Topic 11: Information handling, Modelling and forward planning
Topic 12: Further processes and techniques.
Component 2: Independent Design and Make Project (Paper code: 9DT0/02)
Non-examined assessment
50% of the qualification
There are four parts to the assessment:
Part 1: Identifying and outlining possibilities for design
Identification and investigation of a design possibility, investigation of client/end user needs, wants and values, research and production of a specification
Part 2: Designing a prototype
Design ideas, development of design idea, final design solution, review of development and final design and communication of design ideas
Part 3: Making a final prototype
Design, manufacture and realisation of a final prototype, including tools and equipment and quality and accuracy
Part 4: Evaluating own design and prototype
Assessment Methods
Coursework 50%
Examination 50%
Recommended Entry Requirements
While a C grade at GCSE in Design and Technology is desirable we have had great successes with pupils who have never studied the subject before.
Subject Combinations
Design and Technology is designed to be either a complementary subject to Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Art and Design, or to be a contrasting subject with English, History, Geography and Modern Languages.
Careers and Higher Education
This subject could lead to the following courses in Higher Education: Product Design; Furniture Design; Industrial Design; Interior Design; Materials Science; Graphic Design; Computer Graphics; Art and Design; Engineering