Design and Technology (Product Design)

Assessment

At A Level, students will complete two forms of assessment, a written exam (worth 50% of the total) and a substantial ‘Design and Make’ project known as the NEA, Non Examined Assessment, also worth 50%. Component 1 & 2 (written exam) Paper 1 (1½ hours) covers the technical principles of the subject, such as materials and manufacturing and understanding of wider social, moral and environmental issues which impact upon design. Paper 2 (1¾ hours) is comprised of a series of longer answer questions that require students to demonstrate their problem solving and critical evaluation skills. Component 3 – NEA – completed within 65 hours of lesson time. Students will undertake the ‘Iterative Design Project’ which requires students to design, make and evaluate a project centred on a context of their own choice. Using the skills developed over GCSE and the A Level course, students will create a portfolio of evidence and final product in real time to demonstrate their competence. The portfolio of design work is based on an idea, issue, concept or theme leading to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes.