Design & Technology – Product Design
Exam Board & Specification: AQA A-Level Design & Technology: Product Design
Subject Lead:
Sixth Form Team
What will students study at Key Stage 5?
Year 12: Students learn technical principles, materials and processes, user‑centred design and CAD/CAM through iterative briefs, generating and testing prototypes while building NEA foundations.
Year 13: They complete an NEA portfolio and prototype addressing a contextual challenge, and prepare for examination on design influences and specialist technical knowledge.
What do assessments test?
- AO1: Technical knowledge and understanding
- AO2: Designing and making (iterative process, user insight)
- AO3: Analyse/evaluate design decisions and outcomes (NEA + exam)
What are the expectations of my child in this subject?
Attend all lessons, meet deadlines, keep high‑quality notes, and use independent study effectively (at least the Sixth Form expectation per subject). Build habits of spaced retrieval, interleaved practice and regular past‑paper work.
What should my child do if they feel they are struggling in this subject?
Speak to the subject teacher promptly, identify precise topic/skill gaps, attend clinics/interventions, and use targeted resources (examiner reports, model answers, required practical write‑ups or assignment checklists).
How can I best support my child in this subject?
Have short, frequent check‑ins on progress; help plan assessment timelines; encourage retrieval practice and timed responses; and ensure use of department‑recommended texts, platforms and mark schemes.