Product Design GCSE/A Level

[MerryFirewoman]

I am aware that Art & Design GCSE and A Level has a reputation for being A LOT of work and should be approached with caution unless DC's are fully aware and just love spending their time doing art based work anyway. I have not heard much at all about Product Design, does anyone have experience of this?
Obviously any practical based subject will involve outside work and DC should only be doing them if they are interested, but it would be good to have some sort of feel.

DD is interested in Graphics/Computing side of things but we are told you can base your project work in PD around graphics. We are not quite at option choosing stage yet but she is thinking around
Computer Science/Art/PD and which might be best, or which combination.

Any career ideas yet? May be worth looking at higher education requirements as well. My dd was not keen on art partly due to the workload rep but is enjoying Design Tech. It may lead to engineering or even architecture. Or, just be interesting and a change from essays and sums. I am glad she’s doing something hands on and also it’s good for project and time management skills.

My DD took GCSE product design - graphic products ...the same applies (as art etc) a lot of work (not sure of any changes with the exam post change to 9-1), but 60% of the exam in 2018 was practical and the grade boundaries were very high 92% for A. My DD was in school in February HT and at Easter to do practical work and I would say (old grade) its not easy getting an A.

My DD also did Computer Science and I would say there is a shortage of teachers in this area - so be cautious.

However, in stating the above its an enjoyable subject.

Thanks. The D&T syllabus seems to be at 50% practical now. I think she may find it more difficult to get a top grade in comparison with something more academic, however it would be a good change and she has a humanity and language covered.
Agree with CS teachers. They have a great one. But she could move!

DS1 did a level product design and DS2 is about to.

It is a lot of work but no more than other subjects. Key is to stay on top of it throughout the year and constantly keep portfolio up to date. If you miss a week or 2 it’s hard to get back on track.

They have got to love making things though.

DS1 got an A.

Should also say, it’s more focused on the making of the actual product rather than the design itself. The designing plays a part as does background research, but the portfolio is all about the method/technique and management of the process.

The design does need to meet the brief but the making of the product takes the time.

Really depends on the quality/availability of design/tech teachers. My son has just taken his GCSE and it's expected to be his only fail. Despite promises and impressive presentations at GCSE selection time in year 9, the schools' promises have turned out worthless. In particular, they said nearly everything could be done by computer design and computer aided manufacture using routers, 3d printer, laser cutter, etc., so were trying to attract the kids who weren't actually that good with their hands (they explicity said that!).

In reality, the teacher he got was near retirement age and hadn't a clue about the CAD/CAM equipment (he was an ex Maths teacher who'd had a nervous breakdown so they lumped him into design/tech! for an easy life!). They spent year 10 making a wooden pencil case and a metal aluminium casting, no theory work at all, no sign of starting their project at all. Come start of year 11, he finally started talking about the project, then after 2/3 weeks he went off on long term sick. Cue a stream of supply teachers who weren't Design/tech teachers and just told them to do homework in lessons (baby sitters!). Finally, at Christmas, they got allocated a design/tech teacher, but he could only do one lesson per week due to timetabling. In January, they started the project planning, theory work, my son spent a few full weekends and many evenings doing the Computer design work etc and converting the data into the computer manufacture system (he basically taught himself how to do it). Then they finally started making it after February half term. Then the bombshell, it had to be completed by mid March, so basically just 4 weeks to make it, with a "proper" teacher for just 1 lesson per week. Then, even worse, because so many people were trying to use the laser cutter, 3d printer etc., his class were told they couldn't use any of it and everything had to be made by hand. So, basically, none of the class finished their projects.

Come the exam itself, general feeling from son and his friends was that they'd be lucky to get 25% of the marks as most of the questions hadn't been covered in class (they'd had no theory teaching at all).

So, before you go down the tech/design route, make sure that the school take it seriously and have proper teachers doing the lessons. It's clear some schools/teachers don't give it any importance.

Oh dear Pacer, that sounds terrible and utterly unacceptable. I think I remember reading your thread?? I am pretty certain of the quality of the Tech teaching. I know the CS teaching is excellent, but it does hinge on one person. And the Art is fine and has some depth to it. But CS would be her most favourite subject!

teenmum may I ask what your DD is doing next (I'm guessing she was GCSE this year?)?
DD is desperate to opt for DT and computing (they only get two options choices) but I'm not sure what she'd do at KS5.
She wants to work building sets and props, though we've no idea how she could get work experience, or what route she'd take post-16.
She's actually very academic (is at grammar school) but making things is her one true love!

@haba - My DD has completely changed what she would like to do now, originally she was going to take Product Design for A Level but now she has decided to go down the medicine route (if GCSE grades are good enough ). She also loves making things but I think she is probably more academic than creative.
In terms of work experience make inquires to local amateur dramatic companies ...this will give her some experience and then she can apply to local theatres etc.
She did love DT and it was a nice contrast from all other subjects, whilst work intensive in the run up to GCSE's ..the practical element is normally completed by Easter so it takes some pressure off with the other exams (they only sit on written exam for DT).

Computer Science at GCSE and A level is a very rigorous, academic subject which also requires proficieny in maths. The coding element, in particular, is hard. There is a shortage of CS teachers because (1) computing graduates can earn far more in industry, and (2) the government changed the spec from IT office-based skills to CS without providing the necessary time or resources to retrain teachers.

Thanks teenmum, very helpful. I think we were hoping that being in an academic school would spark her interest in other subjects, but she loves DT more than ever!
Will see what is near us in terms of theatre groups etc.

haba You may find she will change ...DT was my DD's favourite subject too (its quite a relaxed atmosphere in class)....but at the start of Yr11 she really started to enjoy Biology .. sometimes an inspiring teacher will come a long and everything changes. I did take my DD along to a Uni open day where there were degree courses in product design which is useful.

I am not sure that DD's practical skills are good enough. Her maths and coding are very good, she enjoys making up fonts and her drawings are full of words explaining how things work, but whether art or tech require hands on work of a better quality than she can do I don't know. She is thinking about graphic design, computer graphics, digital art, but it's early days at the moment.

Art is best taken at GCSE if you really want to continue it to A level. My DD did A level Art and A level Photography. Hard work but she attained top grades. Teaching is absolutely key. DD of a friend got an E in Photography because the teacher interpreted the syllabus incorrectly - at an expensive private school.

Therefore thinking about what you might like to do is worthwhile. If set design interests her, then look at local theatres as said above. Also the Royal Opera House has apprenticeships. At least contact them. What about any film studios? Look at degrees that might lead to set design. What do they require regarding qualifications and experience?

Regarding Engineering, again she probably needs to think what type of engineering and make sure she has the correct A levels. Art is also useful for Architects even in this day and age!