About the Course:
This particular specification aims to promote the careful, thoughtful and skilful use of Graphic Materials, namely paper, card and board, foam board, sheet plastics, rigid foam and joining materials.
During this course you will have the opportunity to:
- Be involved in making decisions, consider sustainability and combine skills with knowledge and understanding in order to design and make quality products
- Explore ways in which aesthetic, technical, economic, environmental, ethical and social dimensions interact to shape designing and making
- Analyse existing products and produce practical solutions to needs, wants and opportunities, recognising their impact on quality of life
- Develop decision-making skills through individual and collaborative working
- Understand that designing and making reflect and influence cultures and societies, and that products have an impact on lifestyle
- Develop skills of creativity and critical analysis through making links between the principles of good design, existing solutions and technological knowledge.
What type of student would suit this course:
- Need to be able to think, with an open mind about a variety of design situations
- Need to be able to record and discuss ideas, particularly through drawings, notes and models
- Need to have good practical skills, i.e. enjoy making using a range of hand and machine tools
- Need to be able to recognise good design and recognise and reject those of lesser value
Need to be confident and effective users of ICT. Where appropriate, opportunities will be given to use ICT in order to further study of CAD, CAM, data handling, and word processing.
The examination board in this subject is: OCR. Their website is: ocr.org.uk
The levels of award available to you in this subject are:
- This scheme of assessment is not tiered, covering all of the ability range grades from A*–G.
- Candidates achieving less than the minimum mark for Grade G will be ungraded
- Candidates who gain Grades D–G will have achieved an award at Foundation Level 1
- Candidates who gain Grades A*–C will have achieved an award at Intermediate Level 2
The assessment for this subject is:
Unit title and description |
Assessment and duration |
Full course Weighting |
Unit A531: Introduction to designing and making |
20 hours Controlled assessment 60 marks |
30% of final marks |
Unit A532: Sustainable Design |
1 hour Written examination 60 marks |
20% of final marks |
Unit A563: Making Quality Products |
20 hours |
30% of final marks |
Unit A564: Technical Aspects of Designing and Making |
1 hr 15 min |
20% of final marks |
If you would like more information about this subject you should see Mr D Wigley or Mrs D Jones