Design Technology: Product Design A Level

Dartford Grammar School for Girls

Shepherds Lane, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2NT

GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent

Level 3

Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies

Available start dates

Tuesday, 01 September 2026

Dartford Grammar School for Girls

2 Year(s)

Full time

Daytime/working hours

Please contact the provider directly to apply for this course.

Application Instructions

Admission is based solely on actual GCSE results. No conditional offers will be made in advance of GCSE results day.

Applications to join Year 12 should be made on GCSE results day in August 2026 by 12pm.

Students applying after this deadline will be eligible to join the school if they meet the criteria and there are places still available in Year 12 on the courses they wish to follow.

Entry Requirements: - All students joining Year 12 will have achieved:

• A minimum of 52 points across 8 GCSE subjects;

• A minimum of grade 5 in Mathematics and English Language or English Literature;

• The subject requirements for the A Level subjects to be studied.

All A Level courses have specific requirements related to course content. Please refer to the detailed information for each course.

It is important to take time to read the individual course requirements and specifications.

How to Apply: - Please apply via our school website: www.dartfordgrammargirls.org.uk on GCSE results day in August 2026 by 12pm.

We are not accepting applications via KentChoices.

Please check our school website for more details.

Course Summary

Design Technology - Product Design (Pearson)

An A Level in Product Design is intended to develop subject knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to enable creativity and imagination.

Course Details

Component 1: Topics 1-12:

1: Materials, 2: Performance characteristics of materials, 3: Processes and techniques, 4: Digital technologies, 5: Factors influencing the development of products, 6: Effects of technological developments, 7: Potential hazards and risk assessment, 8: Features of manufacturing industries, 9: Designing for maintenance and the cleaner environment, 10: Current legislation, 11: Information handling, Modelling and forward planning, 12: Further processes and techniques.

Component 2: Independent Design and Make Project

Students will produce a substantial design, make and evaluate project which consists of a portfolio and a prototype.

There are four parts to the assessment covering the identification of a design problem

• Part 1: Identifying and outlining possibilities for design

• Part 2: Designing a prototype

• Part 3: Making a final prototype

• Part 4: Evaluating own design and prototype

How will it be delivered and assessed?

Component 1: 2 hours 30 minutes written paper (worth 50% of the A Level)

Component 2: Non-examined assessment (worth 50% of the A Level)

Entry requirements

Grade 6 in Design Technology (or grade 6 in Mathematics if not studied at GCSE).

Your next steps...

Product Design, Industrial Design, Design and Technology related courses.

For more courses like this, check our courses page.