A Level Design & Technology: Product Design is delivered at the Robert Carre Trust and also St George’s Academy. At the Robert Carre Trust, there will be the opportunity to follow a Resistant Materials focus and at St George’s Academy, the focus will be on Conceptual Design and Graphics. The course principles, structure, and assessment methods are the same. A variety of skills are required to undertake the Independent Design and Project. To best prepare students for this a variety of approaches will be used so that students feel competent in all aspects of Design and Technology. Skills developed through investigations, focused practical tasks and further study will likely include: • Graphical Communication techniques • 3D and 2D CAD (Solidworks and 2D Design) • Competent use of hand tools and machinery • Analysis of products • An understanding of how school processes can be used to produce ‘one-offs’ • Use of Smart Materials in modern products The course is divided into two components: Component 1: Principles of Design and Technology Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes 50% of the qualification Students will be assessed under exam conditions at the end of the course in the following areas: • 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 a 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 Non-examined Assessment (NEA) 50% of the qualification Students will produce a portfolio of evidence and a prototype of a solution. Students will be encouraged to think creatively and with imagination while applying the design process. Typically, students produce outcomes that incorporate woods, metals, and polymers using a range of traditional and modern techniques. Students will produce work that includes: • Part 1: Identifying Opportunities for Design • Part 2: Designing a Prototype • Part 3: Making a Prototype • Part 4: Evaluating Own Design and Prototype A qualification in Design and Technology: Product Design can lead to several careers in Ergonomics, Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Mining, Teaching, Architecture all aspects of Design and Manufacture, and many more. Because Design and Technology has a crossover of Art, Mathematics, and Science as a subject, it has the advantage of being flexible in the workplace and students are also seen as flexible and able to multi-task.