Design & Technology

The GCSE course

Thinking creatively, problem solving, designing products, making models, manufacturing products and testing ideas.

If you enjoy any of the above, then GCSE Design and Technology is the right subject for you.  The course is based around learning and developing the skills required to design and make products that are manufactured in woods, metals and plastics.  You will use a wide range of creative industrial processes to shape and form materials into functioning products.

At Brighton College pupils study the Edexcel GCSE specification: Resistant Materials Technology.  All pupils study D&T in year 9, where the aim of the course is to provide an insight into the types of projects that would be undertaken during the GCSE course.

Fourth Form (Year 9)

Introductory Course: includes two individual 'design and make' projects.

In 2011-12 these projects were a CAD designed USB memory stick and a London 2012 Medal.

Topics covered include:

• Sketching and Design skills
• Computer Aided Design
• Polymers and their uses
• Health & Safety
• Modelling and Testing
• Computer Aided Manufacture
• Metals : Casting, Enamelling, Etching
• Evaluative skills

Lower Fifth (Year 10)

Unit 1: Creative Design & Make activities Coursework submission Product Manufacture: skills project Product Investigation Computer Aided Design

Unit 2: Knowledge & Understanding of RMT Examined Unit Materials and components Industrial and commercial processes Analysing and designing products

Upper Fifth (Year 11)

Unit 1: Creative Design & Make activities Coursework submission Product Design Sketching and Modelling Computer Aided Design

Unit 2: Knowledge & Understanding of RMT Examined Unit Technology Sustainability Ethical Design & Manufacture

Trips/extracurricular

A range of clubs and activities are available for pupils, and many GCSE candidates spend activity time working on personal design and manufacture projects.