This is a 52 page printable PDF booklet with a step by step guide to the SketchUp interface and tools with a tutorial for modelling an accurate full scale Modular Desk Organiser. It is intended to support the Design Booklet template and the additional pages for the Modular Desk Organiser but could also be used as a standalone guide to using the software effectively for staff and students. The tutorial covers the basic model but also offers various alternate versions as well as some advanced modelling and rendering tools. Additional supporting files include SketchUp 3D CAD models, texture maps, images and files for 3D printing a component.

This is the first set of supporting resources for the Modular Desk Organiser project. Its is in itself a modular approach to teaching a wide range of skills for Design and Technology ay KS3 including aspects of 2D and 3D drawing, CAD modelling, CAM manufacture and rapid protoyping, orthographic projections, materials (Wood, Polymers, Paper and Card), processes, packaging, scales of production and much more. It could provide a whole year’s worth of work or aspects that you want to cover can be taken from it and added to the design booklet template which is available separately. This set also contains maths and science worksheets which can be used for class work or to set as prep/homework. Several approaches can be taken to using this scheme of work and a range of outcomes is possible. Images of real outcomes are provided for reference and a step by step guide to CAD modelling using SketchUp is also available.

This booklet is supplied in Powerpoint format and contains a range of generic sheets which can be used to produce unique design booklets for students rather than providing them with numerous blank paper or worksheet. The advantage of using booklets, aside from keeping the worksheets together, is that students take responsibility for their work and can personalise the projects. Use this with the Key Stage 3 tracking spreadsheet available separately as a way of planning and monitoring progress throughout Key Stage 3 and the booklets will form a record of learning at the end of the Key Stage. This is a generic booklet but many of the text areas are editable so you can customise it to suit your needs. A range of more specific sheets will be made available in packs so you can have a ready made scheme of work or mix and match the sheets to make a scheme of work unique to your department. PLEASE NOTE: this version is just the design booklet template and does not have the assessment tracking sheet bundled with it.

UPDATE January 2024: Added additional columns for maths and science scores from the design booklets or your own assessments. All student data is now in a Class info. sheet and copied across to all the other sheets. This is a new Key Stage Assessment based on one, two or three projects per year. The assessment sections correspond to the National curriculum with additional sections for communication and technical skills. Use this with the available KS3 design booklet to assess, track and monitor student progress against their Attainment 8 target through KS3 as well as their knowledge of maths and science in those booklets. Should you wish or need to unlock the sheets, the password is ks3. You can then use the GCSE tracker if you follow the AQA specification.

UPDATE August 2023 Model updated with minor improvements. UPDATE April 2021: The Braille BoX is now completely 3D printed with a new snap together glueless construction. This is the Braille Box project which was created to support the GCSE exemplar folder available to purchase separately or as part of a bundle. In this ZIP file are all the parts and assembly for you to demonstrate the model in Solidworks. Also included are working drawings and renders of the project to demonstrate what can be achieved with your CAD software. Finally, all parts have already been converted to .stl format so you can 3D print your own working model to support your teaching. Combined with the other supporting GCSE materials, and the exemplar folder, you have a high quality resource to inspire pupils and to help them aspire to achieving the highest level at GCSE.

Updated August 2023 with the official summer 2023 grade boundaries. The 2023 paper is now transferred to the summary sheet as the mock examination results. The 2022 paper is now used for the end of theory assessments. Slight changes to the colour schemes to match the theory pre Updated August 2022 with the official summer 2022 grade boundaries. The 2021 paper is now transferred to the summary sheet as the mock examination results. Update December 2021 with the 2020 and 2021 exam papers. The 2020 paper is now used as the mock and the 2019 is used to test the end of all the 50 individual theory lessons. Updated January 2021 with all the AQA theory mapped over 50 lessons with ongoing assessments. Supporting presentations that match the lessons which are now available!** This enhanced version of the AQA GCSE tracker has been updated to generate comments from the marks awarded. It has the two AQA specimen papers for reference and the 2019 GCSE paper to use as a final test after the theory lessons. The 2020 examination paper is used as a mock exam which will be added to the NEA assessment to give an accurate prediction based on the previous years’s grade boundaries. A PDF guide to using the tracker has now been added to the resource. Please note the Grade Boundary sheet is up to date with the 2019 grade boundaries for both the paper and NEA as of 2021. To use: Simply use the Context sheet to enter all student details including candidate number and attainment target. Use the Comment sheet to award marks for each Assessment Objective and comments will be provided in the boxes for use in CRF’s or reports. Use the Mock sheet to add the marks from the 2020 paper used as a mock exam. Use the Theory sheet to help plan out your weekly lessons to ensure all the theory is covered. You can also use this to keep a track of ongoing assessments and it will show an average. It will also allow you to compare a test paper to the final mock to see if the students have improved. Everything will then be transferred to the front Summary sheet, totals will be generated and levels awarded derived from the existing GCSE boundaries. Old type grades are also provided for reference. All the cells that do not need editing are locked to avoid making mistakes but the sheet can be unlocked with the password ‘gcse’. Updated May 2016 with room for 26 student names and added a pie chart to show percentage of students who were above/below target. More can be added if you are comfortable with editing Excel spreadsheets or simply make additional copies of the spreadsheet for the additional students. If you have less than 26, ensure that there is nothing entered into the A8 column on the context sheet and the pie chart will ignore these when calculating the percentage of students above/below target. Extra sheets for homework and assessments can be tailored to suit your needs and will not affect the Summary sheet or the predicted levels.

UPDATE: April 2021 additional pages added to support the use of the Braille Box to teach about branding, IP, patents, crowdfunding, ecological footprint and more. Specification updated to match the new theory presentations that will soon be available. This is my own take on what I believe a level 9 folder could look like for the new AQA GCSE in Design and Technology and was produced when no examplar material was avalable from examination boards. It is appropriate for the ‘children’s learning and play’ sample context and covers exploring a context, iterative design, prototyping and client led brief along with investigations, analysis and evaluations. Supplied as both self-running Powerpoint Show and printable PDF file, there are 40 slides in the folder as per the AQA suggested limit, each with a commentary and a summary at the end of each A0 as well as extra slides at the end to support the process. In total there are now 68 slides here but the extra slides are for the benefit of the teacher, or to explain and justify the marks awarded.** There is evidence in the folder of SketchUp, Solidworks, Photoshop and the use of CNC equipment and 3D printing. It is not endorsed by any examination board but can inspire you in your approach to teaching the new NEA in your school to a very high standard. I worked as an examiner and moderator for the AQA for 20 years with 27 years D&T teaching and leadership experience where many students achieved 100% for their coursework. This is based on that experience and a culmination of assessing thousands of folders coupled with industry design experience. Additionally, I have consulted for DATA, TES, V&A, Routledge, PGOnline, Doddle and the BBC. Recent additions (July 2018) include 16 extra slides to show a summary of modelling, drawing, CAD etc. and further development of the product beyond the GCSE prototype into AS/A Level territory with the outcome being a completely 3D printed prototype. August 2018 update simply adds some extra info.

An exemplar folder produced to accompany the new AQA GCSE to illustrate how students can approach the NEA. This is NOT endorsed by the AQA but is produced by an experienced designer, teacher, moderator and consultant to reflect expectations for a Level 9 NEA project. It is supported by a new GCSE student guide, a checklist (which should not be used as a writing frame) and a tracker and grade prediction spreadsheet which uses grade boundaries derived from the boundaries on the old spec. There will be no official boundaries for some time so this will help you to give some prediction in the meantime. This now includes a comprehensive assessment spreadsheet that generates comment banks to minimise requests for remarks. Updated August 2018 with a new exemplar folder, student guide and a tracker with 26 name slots.

A colourful chart to help show levels of progress with target based on 4 levels of progress being on target but this can be adjusted.

This PDF is intended as a guide for Advanced Level students to help them through their NEA tasks in AQA Product Design but much of the guide could be used for other specialisms. While similar in format to the GCSE guide available here, it does have A Level specific material and addresses all the Assessment Objectives for AS and A Level. It is ideal for giving to students in a digital format or as a printed phamplet style booklet to provide an easy to use and understand overview of the NEA.

This PDF is intended as a guide for students to help them through their NEA in the new GCSE Design and Technology. It is a 32-page printable booklet which can be used digitally or is ideal for an A5 size pamplet (using just 8 sheet of A4). It has no worksheets or questions but describes each section of the NEA with illustrations taken from the accompanying exemplar folder which is available separately or as part of a bundle at a reduced price. Because this is a generic guide linked to a sample context, it does not constitute a writing frame so can be given to students to support them in their GCSE NEA. It is designed to support the AQA syllabus but can be used for other examination boards.

A free resource for adding feedback to students for practical work/controlled assessment/NEA. It is in a digital format so it can be added to a VLE or online storage for access by student and teacher. The teacher completes the blue and green sections while the student completes the pink section.

A high resolution image providing a simple guide to 20th Century Design History. Certain sections are deliberately blank so that they can be used for students to investigate and add their own details. A completed version will be added shortly at no extra charge. Updated 2024 with more details but still space to add more of your own choice.

Adjustable by centres, this is a colourful chart which will help understand how levels of progress relate to outgoing NC levels and grades and Progress and Attainment 8. It is unlocked so can be easily edited to suit centres or changing policies.

UPDATE 2: This tracker has been updated to support just A Level D&T and has new featres added. This version remains for those still running AS Level D&T or who want access to this particualr version of the tracker. You can still edit the grade boundaries as long as the AS exam is still available. UPDATE1 The May/June 2019 exams have been added so this is up to date and the grade boundaries have also been updated from the results on 15th August 2019. An 8 page spreadsheet which tracks NEA progress and allows for mock and real examination analysis based on the AQA syllabus 7551 and 7552 but it can be adapted for other AO’s. It has been used to successfully predict final grades for many years and is a useful interactive tool to use in the classroom or during progression meetings. It uses a traffic light system to show weaker areas in performance and a look up table to predict final grades and to compare against targets. A Level grade boundaries are not yet known but can be changed as needed. AS level boundaries from 2018 have been added to the AS tab. This currently uses the standard 2/4 module boundaries for grades. This is for the new GCE syllabus with first AS exam in 2018. It has been updated June 2019 to allow up to 26 students on one sheet and looks up student name and number from the information tabs. Cells not needed to be edited are locked off but the password to unlock each sheet is ‘advanced’.

A completed AS and A Level project checklist ideal for digital folders. The sections can be changed to suit the centre, subject or syllabus. Ideal for producing a matching digital folder or as a checklist for NEA work.

A blank AS and A Level checklist for the new Design and Technology syllabus for first teaching in 2017. This is based on the AQA NEA requirements but can be adapted for other AO's.