KS 4 - PRODUCT DESIGN

This course involves the students taking on the role of a product designer creating everyday products. Students present their ideas in many different ways, depending upon the product and the stage of the design. They use drawings, photography and computer generated images to explain and produce models to sell their ideas.

Students use graphic techniques and ICT, including computer aided manufacture to develop, model and communicate design proposals. Different societies, age, cultural, environmental and historical issues need to be taken into account in the planning of and designing of these products. Students may use a broad range of materials in the modelling, prototyping or manufacture of their products such as paper/card, timber based materials, metals, plastics, polystyrene, styrofoam and plaster of paris.

Currently the GCSE is run as a three year programme. Students work on a range of Product Design Projects that include:

Key Skills (started at the beginning of the project)
Three mini projects (CAD Project, advertising, Children’s Toy Project, Electronic Tooth brush Project, Perfume / After shave project)

The final grade is based on:

Major Project - 20+ A3 page coursework folder and practical work and production of a ‘Final Product’ (60% of the total GCSE).
A 2 hour written external examination in the final year (40% of the total GCSE).

Course Books and Equipment

Students are expected to purchase Lonsdale Revision Guide: AQA Product Design: ISBN: 1-903068-81-9
A4 sketchbook, A3 Folder, planner, coloured pencils, drawing pencils, pens, eraser, metric ruler, calculator

Events and Visits

Thorpe Park in June / July to complete a case study into the Design industry

Key Dates

Students are given assignment deadline dates at the start of each assignment