Design and Technology
Specification: AQA-GCSE-Design-and-Technology
The AQA GCSE Design and Technology specification covers 3 topics with 0 learning objectives (AQA-GCSE-Design-and-Technology). Use the topic browser below to explore subtopics, exam tips, common mistakes, and key terminology for each area of the course.
This subject will help you develop key knowledge and skills required for exam success.
3
Topics
0
Objectives
15
Exam Tips
16
Pitfalls
Key Features
- Master key concepts
- Develop exam technique
- Apply knowledge effectively
About AQA GCSE Design and Technology
The AQA GCSE Design and Technology qualification equips students with the skills to design and make innovative products using a wide range of materials and processes. The course is structured around three key principles: core technical principles, specialist technical principles, and designing and making principles. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of how technology shapes the world around us.
Students will explore topics such as new and emerging technologies, energy generation and storage, developments in materials, systems and mechanical devices. The course places a strong emphasis on iterative design, encouraging students to continuously test, evaluate, and refine their ideas. Through practical application of knowledge, learners develop the ability to solve real-world problems creatively.
The specification is divided equally between a written examination and a non-exam assessment (NEA). The NEA is a substantial design and make project where students produce a working prototype and a detailed portfolio of evidence. AQA's approach is designed to foster independence, critical thinking, and a deep appreciation for the design process.
Assessment Structure
This qualification is assessed through two components: a written exam (2 hours, 100 marks, 50% of the GCSE) and a non-exam assessment (NEA) (approximately 30–35 hours, 100 marks, 50% of the GCSE). The written exam comprises three sections: Section A covers core technical principles (20 marks), Section B covers specialist technical principles (30 marks) through a chosen material area or systems, and Section C covers designing and making principles (50 marks). The NEA involves a substantial design and make task, where students respond to a contextual challenge, producing a prototype and a portfolio of evidence. Both components are designed to assess a wide range of design and technology skills.
Why Choose AQA?
- AQA provides exceptionally clear and well-structured specifications, supported by extensive resources, past papers, and online materials that make revision and teaching straightforward.
- The non-exam assessment (NEA) is highly valued by students because it allows them to pursue a design project that aligns with their personal interests and strengths, showcasing practical skills and creativity.
- AQA's balanced emphasis on both theoretical knowledge and practical application ensures that students develop a versatile skill set, ideal for further study in engineering, product design, architecture, or creative industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Assessment Objectives
Identify, investigate and outline design possibilities to address needs and wants
Design and make prototypes that are fit for purpose
Analyse and evaluate – • design decisions and outcomes, including for prototypes made by themselves and others • wider issues in design technology
Demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of – • technical principles • design and making principles
What Gets Top Grades
Knowledge & Understanding
Demonstrates comprehensive and accurate knowledge
- Uses correct subject-specific terminology
- Shows detailed understanding of concepts
- Makes accurate connections between topics
- Demonstrates depth beyond surface-level knowledge
Application
Applies knowledge effectively to new contexts
- Selects relevant knowledge for the question
- Adapts understanding to unfamiliar scenarios
- Uses examples appropriately
- Shows awareness of context
Analysis & Evaluation
Develops sophisticated analytical arguments
- Constructs logical chains of reasoning
- Considers multiple perspectives
- Weighs evidence to reach justified conclusions
- Acknowledges limitations and nuances
Key Command Words
Give a single fact or term
Name, select, or recognise
Set out main features briefly
Give an account of what something is like or what happens
Give reasons with developed cause→effect chains
State similarities AND differences (both required)
Examine in detail showing cause→effect→consequence chains
Weigh up BOTH sides, reach JUSTIFIED conclusion
Make judgments about importance with justification
Show formula→substitution→calculation→answer with units
Common Exam Mistakes
Pitfalls to avoid in your exams
- •Confusing physical properties with working properties of materials.
- •Failing to link energy source selection to specific design contexts.
- •Inaccurate use of technical terminology regarding mechanical systems.
- •Lack of depth when discussing the impact of new technologies on society or the environment.
- •Confusing physical properties (e.g., density, conductivity) with working properties (e.g., malleability, toughness).
- •Failing to link material selection to specific commercial product requirements.
- •Inaccurate calculation of material quantities due to ignoring stock forms or waste minimization.
- •Superficial understanding of the 'six Rs' (reduce, refuse, re-use, repair, recycle, rethink) in a design context.
Top Examiner Tips
Expert advice for exam success
- •Ensure you can apply mathematical skills such as ratios, surface area, and volume calculations to material quantities.
- •Be prepared to link scientific knowledge, such as corrosion and oxidation, to material selection and surface treatments.
- •Use specific examples of materials and technologies when answering extended response questions.
- •Ensure you understand the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their respective arguments.
- •Ensure you can classify materials into their main categories (e.g., ferrous vs non-ferrous metals, thermoforming vs thermosetting polymers).
- •Practice calculating material requirements using standard stock forms and sizes.
- •Be prepared to justify material choices using the factors: functionality, aesthetics, environmental, availability, cost, social, cultural, and ethical.
- •Use correct technical terminology when describing manufacturing processes (e.g., wastage, addition, deforming, reforming).
Specification Topics
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