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A Level Product Design 3D (AQA)

Teachers: Mr Mason and Mr Grimes

A Level Product Design is a 2 year course which covers the following key areas of study:
In the first year ‘materials, components and application’- you will look at materials, production processes and the impact of cost and design. This will prepare you for the 2 hour summer exam. In ‘learning through designing and making’ you will produce coursework using your own design with a range of materials and media.
Each of these units will account for 25% of your total marks.


In the second year you will get to grips with ‘design and manufacture’ helping you to appreciate the relationship between design and technology and form and function.
‘Design and making in practice’ is the practical coursework element where you will develop and make a product recording the process along the way.
Again, a 2 hour exam and your coursework will each account for 25% of your total marks.

What skills will I learn?
In Product Design you will develop a number of transferable skills:
• How to assemble data and assess it
• How to investigate facts and put over your point of view
• How to work as part of a team to achieve results
• How to take responsibility in your own learning

There is very much a ‘hands on’ approach to learning in Product Design. You will be encouraged to analyse familiar products, make lots of models, develop your drawing and CAD skills and use a wide variety of tools and equipment with confidence.
In order to keep in touch with the commercial world and to develop your understanding of design you will take part in numerous manufacturing and exhibition visits.

Where will success take me?
3D design could take you into a variety of exciting career paths such as:
• Product or automotive design
• Packaging design
• Furniture design
• Engineering
• Architecture
• Teaching
• Manufacturing and many more!
All products are designed by someone – why not you?

Textiles

Have you always had a secret desire to work in the exciting, varied and colourful world of Fashion? We offer A level Textiles (Product Design) through the AQA Exam board. This follows on smoothly from GCSE Textiles at Kenilworth School, but we regularly have students enrol and flourish on the course who haven’t studied Textiles at GCSE, but you need to be prepared to challenge yourself and to work hard.

The course combines practical projects which involve originating design ideas, acquiring research and illustrating possible ‘creations’. Illustration can be hand based or involve Photoshop and Speedstep computer packages. To support and enable you to achieve your creative ideas you will also look at: Fashion, Textiles, Art and Design from 1800 to contemporary work, The continual development of fibres and materials e.g. heat and light reactive materials, micro-encapsulation etc, Methods of manufacture from straight stitch to heat sealing and Market or Business influences at work in the Textiles industry.

We appreciate the multitude of information available in exhibitions, Art Galleries, Museums, Theatrical Productions, Films, Industrial and even Retail visits. We therefore incorporate experiences that will inspire, stimulate and aid those following an A level Textiles (Product Design) course. In half-term October 2009 year 12 and 13 will visit Florence and Milan seeing: The Salvatore Ferragamo Shoe Museum, The Contro Moda Exhibition, The Pitti Palace Costume Collection, The Uffizi, both Duomo, The traditional leather school, a modern bag manufacturers, The Corso Como Vogue Editors lifestyle Centre, A wood block printing exhibition, The Marangoni Design Institute etc.

Course Structure

AS   A2  
Unit 1 Materials and components / design & market influences / processes and
manufacture exam
 
Unit 3 Design and make project
Unit 2 Design and make project Unit 4 Synoptic paper

Units in each year carry the same weighting.

For detailed information on the course from the exam board visit the AQA website (www.aqa.org.uk).

What next?
Over the years students have gone on to work as Fashion Designers, Footwear designers, Buyers and Merchandisers and even Zoologists! You may enjoy the subject, wish to pursue design as a career or relish the opportunity of a contrast to your other subjects- all reasons will be enthusiastically accepted. This course can provide you with a wide range of skills that will be useful for your future.