Complete revision notes for A-Level Design and Technology covering 24 topics across 4 strands. Aligned with the AQA 8552 specification. Covers Core Technical Principles, Materials and Their Working Properties, Specialist Technical Principles, and Designing and Making Principles — including new technologies, material properties, manufacturing processes, NEA coursework guidance and exam technique.
A-Level Design and Technology (AQA 8552) is assessed through a written exam (50%) and a Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) coursework project (50%). The written exam has three sections: Section A covers Core Technical Principles (20 marks), Section B covers Specialist Technical Principles (30 marks), and Section C covers Designing and Making Principles (50 marks). The NEA involves a design-and-make task from a contextual challenge set by AQA.
| Component | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Written Exam | Sections A (Core), B (Specialist), C (Designing & Making) | 50% |
| NEA Coursework | Design-and-make task from AQA contextual challenge | 50% |
| AO | Description | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Recall knowledge and understanding of D&T | 20% |
| AO2 | Apply knowledge and understanding of D&T | 30% |
| AO3 | Analyse and evaluate design decisions and outcomes | 50% |
New Technologies: Industry 4.0, 3D printing, IoT, AI in design
Materials: Papers/boards, timbers, metals, polymers, textiles, composites, smart materials
Design Process: Investigating contexts, developing ideas, making, evaluating
Manufacturing: Injection moulding, CNC, press forming, casting, 3D printing
Access official past papers and mark schemes from each exam board:
| Exam Board | Past Papers & Mark Schemes |
|---|---|
| AQA | AQA D&T Past Papers ↗ |
| Edexcel | Edexcel D&T Past Papers ↗ |
| OCR | OCR D&T Past Papers ↗ |