Product Design A Level

Board: AQA

Students who enjoy practical and/or creative work and have followed a design-based course at GCSE Level, achieving at least a grade 5 in Product Design, Food or Textiles.

During the course, you will study a range of materials, you will develop a technical understanding of how products function and how they are made to appropriately support the design and manufacture of your own design solutions. You will learn about wider design principles and the effect of design on users and the world we live in. You will identify market needs and opportunities for new products, initiate and develop design solutions, and make and test prototypes/products. You will develop your subject knowledge, including how a product can be developed through the stages of prototyping, realisation and commercial manufacture. You will develop a critical mind through enquiry and problem solving, exploration, creation and evaluation of iterative designs. The course encourages freedom in approaches towards designing and making so as not to limit the possibilities of project work or the materials and processes being used. The examination content requires you to apply mathematical and scientific knowledge, understanding and skills. This content reflects the importance of Design and Technology as a pivotal STEM subject.

There are three strands to the course. One Non-Examined Assessment and two examinations.

A non-examined ‘Iterative Design Project’ is a substantial design, make and evaluate project centred on the iterative processes of explore, create and evaluate. It is worth 50% of the qualification. You will be required to identify a design opportunity or problem from a context of your own choice, and create a chronological portfolio supported by real– time evidence of your project development. Innovative approaches will be required resulting in a final prototype that can be tested against the user and the market. 

The Technical Principles of Design and Technology paper is worth 30% of the qualification and assesses analysis of existing products, technical knowledge and understanding of materials, product functionality, manufacturing processes and techniques and allows you to demonstrate your understanding of design thinking and wider social, moral and environmental issues that impact on the design and manufacturing industries. The paper is 2 hours 30 minutes long.

The Designing and Making Principles in Design and Technology paper is worth 20% of the qualification and focuses on the application of your knowledge, understanding and skills of designing and manufacturing prototypes and products through a set design task, then reflecting on your design solution in relation to wider factors and other theoretical knowledge. The paper is 1 hour 30 minutes long

Higher Education courses and ultimately careers in: Design and Manufacturing in the following sectors, Automotive Design, Architecture, Furniture Production, Engineering, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Design Engineering or Fashion

For more information about the course, please see Mr Turner