3D Design

Applications Open: 9th October 2025

How to Apply:

Internal students - Apply via Applicaa using this link - https://waterfront.applicaa.com/year12-20262027

External students - Apply via KentChoices using this link - https://www.kentprospectus.co.uk/login. Please note - after sending your application, you'll receive a welcome email from Applicaa asking for further information.

Students will be introduced to a variety of experiences that explore a range of three-dimensional media, processes and techniques. They will be made aware of both traditional and new media.

Students will explore the use of drawing for different purposes, using a variety of methods and media on a variety of scales. Students may use sketchbooks/workbooks/journals to underpin their work, where appropriate.

Students will explore relevant images, artefacts and resources relating to a range of art, craft and design, from the past and from recent times, including European and non-European examples. This should be integral to the investigating and making process. Students' responses to these examples must be shown through practical and critical activities that demonstrate their understanding of different styles, genres and traditions.

Students will be required to demonstrate skills in all of the following:

• appreciation of solid, void, form, shape, texture, colour, decoration, surface treatment, scale, proportion, structure, rhythm and movement
• awareness of intended audience or purpose for their chosen area(s) of three-dimensional design
• awareness of the relationship between three-dimensional design and urban, rural or other settings
• appreciation of the relationship of form and function and, where applicable, the ability to respond to a concept, work to a brief, theme or topic, or answer a need in the chosen area(s) of three-dimensional design
• the safe use of a variety of appropriate tools and equipment
• understanding of working methods, such as model-making, constructing and assembling.

Students are required to work in one or more area(s) of three-dimensional design, such as those listed below. They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas:

• ceramics
• sculpture
• exhibition design
• design for theatre, television and film
• interior design
• product design
• environmental and architectural design
• jewellery/body ornament
• 3D digital design.

Students should produce practical and critical/contextual work in one or more areas of study, for example, ceramics, sculpture, exhibition design, design for theatre, television and film, interior design, product design, environmental design, architectural design, jewellery/body ornament and 3D digital design.

Component 1: Personal investigation

96 marks

60% of A-level

This is a practical investigation supported by written material.

Students are required to conduct a practical investigation, into an idea, issue, concept or theme, supported by written material. The focus of the investigation must be identified independently by the student and must lead to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes.

The investigation should be a coherent, in-depth study that demonstrates the student’s ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning from an initial starting point to a final realisation.

The investigation must show clear development from initial intentions to the final outcome or outcomes. It must include evidence of the student’s ability to research and develop ideas and relate their work in meaningful ways to relevant critical/contextual materials.

The investigation must be informed by an aspect of contemporary or past practice of artists, photographers, designers or craftspeople.

The written material must confirm understanding of creative decisions, providing evidence of all four assessment objectives by:

• clarifying the focus of the investigation
• demonstrating critical understanding of contextual and other sources
• substantiating decisions leading to the development and refinement of ideas
• recording ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions by reflecting critically on practical work
• making meaningful connections between, visual, written and other elements.

The written material must:

• be a coherent and logically structured extended response of between 1000 and 3000 words of continuous prose.
• include specialist vocabulary appropriate to the subject matter
• include a bibliography that, identifies contextual references from sources such as: books, journals, websites, through studies of others’ work made during a residency, or on a site, museum or gallery visit
• be legible with accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar so that meaning is clear.

Students can present the written material as a single passage of continuous prose or as a series of shorter discrete, but linked, passages of continuous prose incorporated within the practical work.

There is no restriction on the scale of practical work produced. Students should carefully select, organise and present their work for their Personal investigation to ensure it is well structured and provides evidence that meets the requirements of all four assessment objectives.

Component 2: Externally set assignment

96 marks

40% of A-level

Separate question papers will be provided for each title. Each question paper will consist of a choice of eight questions to be used as starting points. Students are required to select one . Students will be provided with exam papers on 1 February, or as soon as possible after that date.

Preparatory period – from 1 February

Following receipt of the paper students should consider the starting points and select one. Preparatory work should be presented in any suitable format, such as mounted sheets, design sheets, sketchbooks, workbooks, journals, models and maquettes.

Supervised time – 15 hours

Following the preparatory period, students must complete 15 hours of unaided, supervised time.

The first three hours of the supervised time must be consecutive.

In the 15 hours students must produce a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes, informed by their preparatory work.

Students must stop work on their preparatory work as soon as the first period of supervised time starts. Students may refer to their preparatory work in the supervised time, but it must not be added to or amended.

Preparatory work and the work produced during the supervised time must be kept secure in between sessions of supervised time.

The work produced during the supervised time must be clearly identified as such. Students must identify and acknowledge sources which are not their own. Annotation and/or notes should use appropriate specialist vocabulary and be legible with accurate use of language so that meaning is clear.

At the end of the 15 hours of supervised time all the work submitted for this component must be kept secure.

Preparatory work and the work produced during the 15 hours of supervised time will be assessed together, as a whole, against all four assessment objectives. Students will be assessed on their ability to work independently, working within the specified time constraints, and developing a personal and meaningful response.

There is no restriction on the scale of work produced. Students should carefully select, organise and present work to ensure that they provide evidence which meets the requirements of all four assessment objectives.

x5 GCSEs at Grade 9-4 - including Mathematics and English