Design & Technology - Product Design
Attleborough Academy
9 Norwich Road, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 2AJ
GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent
Level 3
Available start dates
Available start dates
Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Attleborough Academy Norfolk
2 Year(s)
Full time
Daytime/working hours
Application Instructions
Thank you for choosing to apply for Attleborough Sixth Form - for further information about our courses, please refer to the course guide on our website.
Applications made before 01 January will be considered while blocking subjects for our timetable. If you apply after this date, the blocking for subjects will have already been determined. If the subjects you have chosen do not fit into the blocking, you will be notified as soon as possible, to arrange a conversation with our Sixth Form team in order to discuss alternatives.
Course Details
The department teaches the new AQA specification and is designed to be a natural progression from the Design and Technology courses at GCSE level. The course allows students to develop their own creativity, design capability, modelling and manufacturing skills. Students are taught to sketch, render, use Computer Aided Design and manufacture to model products to a high level. Students are required to apply their knowledge and understanding to a design brief and produce an extensive design folio and accompanying 3D outcome. Students should have a strong interest in researching, designing, modelling, manufacturing and evaluating products in order to be successful in the course.
Assessment
Exam Paper 1 – Core technical principles and core designing and making principles This is a 2 hour written examination which amounts to 25% of the A-Level qualification. It includes a mixture of short answers, multiple choice and extended responses.
Exam Paper 2 – Specialist knowledge, technical and designing and making principles. This is a 2 hour written examination also amounts to 25% of the A-Level, it has two sections. Section A includes a product analysis and includes up to 6 short answers based on the visual stimulus of products. Section B is focussed on commercial manufacturing and includes a mixture of short and extended response questions.
Non-exam Assessment – Practical application of technical principles, designing and making principles and specialist knowledge. This is a single design and make task which will be completed throughout the course. This unit amounts to 50% of the A-Level and will require documentation through a written portfolio of evidence.
Entry requirements
Design Technology 5
Progression into the second year of the course is reliant on students achieving a minimum D grade in the End of Year 1 Exam.
Your next steps...
Product Design combines well with Mathematics, Physics and Art or can be a contrasting subject with English, History or Geography. This A Level course has been specifically chosen due to its broad based design content and provides a solid foundation for all university courses or careers in design and design related subjects. Previous students have progressed into Product Design, Graphic Design, Architecture, Animation and Web Design, Furniture Design, Engineering, Automotive Design and Design Management.
For more courses like this, check our courses page.