Design & Technology

Design & Technology (D&T) develops creative problem-solving and technical understanding by taking ideas from concept to prototype. Students learn how to identify real user needs, write focused design briefs, generate and refine ideas, select appropriate materials and processes, and evaluate impact (usability, sustainability, ethics, cost, manufacture).

The course balances core technical principles (common to all D&T) with specialist knowledge in materials and manufacturing. Learners apply iterative design investigating, designing, making, and evaluating to produce a coherent portfolio and high-quality prototype that responds to a genuine user or stakeholder.

Core Technical Principles (all students)

• Design thinking & user-centred design: identifying stakeholders, writing briefs, setting design criteria, iterative improvement.
• Materials & properties: woods, metals, polymers, papers/boards, textiles; mechanical, physical, aesthetic properties and environmental impact.
• Manufacture & processes: hand and machine tools, jigs/fixtures, forming/joining, finishes, quality assurance/quality control.
• Mechanisms & structures: levers, pulleys, gears; static structures, forces and stress, reinforcement.
• Electronics (accessible level): components, simple circuits, PCBs (where appropriate), integration with products.
• Sustainability & ethics: life-cycle thinking, circular design, responsible sourcing, inclusive design.
• Design communication: sketching, rendering, orthographic/isometric drawings, exploded views, dimensioning and tolerances, CAD/CAM.

Specialist Technical Principles (centre-selected focus areas)

• Deeper study of chosen material categories (e.g., Timber, Metals, Polymers, Textiles, Papers & Boards) and related industrial processes.
• Manufacturing methods at scale: batch, mass and one-off; tolerance/fit; designing for assembly and disassembly.
• Advanced finishing, surface treatments, and performance testing.

Designing & Making Principles (applied throughout)

• Investigate & define: user research, contextual inquiry, product analysis, specification writing.
• Design & develop: concept generation, modelling (card/foam/3D printing), CAD simulation, materials/process trials.
• Make & validate: safe workshop practice, accurate fabrication, testing against criteria, user trials.
• Evaluate & present: evidence-based reflection, improvements, technical communication and professional presentation.

• Written Exam (Design & Technology Principles) — 50%
  • Assesses core and specialist technical principles, designing and making principles, sustainability and ethics, and application of maths/science where relevant.
  • Question styles: multiple choice, short answers, extended responses, data/diagram interpretation.
• Non-Exam Assessment (NEA: Design & Make Project) — 50%
  • A single, iterative design project responding to a real user/stakeholder.
  • Portfolio typically evidences: investigation, design development, planning, making, testing/evaluation, and final presentation.
  • Outcomes include a functional prototype plus a comprehensive design record showing decisions and justification.

• Ideal for students who enjoy solving real problems, making tangible outcomes, and combining creativity with technical knowledge.
• Builds innovation, project management, collaboration, and professional communication.
• Strengthens transferable skills valued in engineering, product development, architecture, and the wider creative industries.

• A-level Product Design, Engineering Design, Graphic Communication, Textiles, Photography.
• Foundation and degree-level courses in Industrial/Product Design, Architecture, Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering, Furniture Design, Fashion/Textiles, Interaction/UX, Packaging, Design Management.
• Careers in design studios, engineering, prototyping, fabrication, CAD/CAM, sustainability and materials consultancy, and creative entrepreneurship.