Key Stage 4 Design & Technology
‘Out with the Old, and in with the New’
After fourteen years of teaching Product Design, the Department of Education thought it was time for a
shake up of the GCSE’s. Change can be quite daunting for both staff and students and I have to say I was
not looking forward to the changes being made. The days have now gone where you could gain separate
qualifications in Product Design, Resistant Materials, Textiles and Electronics. All of these different areas
are now delivered under the one qualification, GCSE Design & Technology. After much research I decided
to opt for the EDUQAS exam board and their qualification. The students in Years 9 and 10 are working
really well towards this new qualification which is a mixture of project work and theory lessons. I was
anxious that students would not enjoy the theory side of the subject; let’s be honest most students do
choose the subject because they enjoy making things, but I am so pleased with the conduct of the students
in both year groups who enjoy discussions and the work that is being delivered. Mathematics is also now an
area that is covered more by this new qualification and it will be tested at the end of the KS4 examination.
The whole GCSE is made up of two areas. 50% of the qualification is a non-exam assessment (NEA),
which is a ‘design and make’ task that should take approximately 35 hours. The other 50% of the
qualification is a 2hr written examination, and is based around Design & Technology in the 21 st Century,
hence the theory that is now covered throughout the course.
I look forward to seeing our Year 8s on the 1 st March for Options Evening and discussing the subject with
them and their parents.
Congratulations to Matthew Henson in Year 10 for his fantastic problem solving skills and use of CAD/CAM
to produce this Alessi styled LED fob.