GCSE 3D Design

In this course, students are prepared for Edexcel GCSE Three-dimensional Design (1TD0).

Year 10

Unit Content

Personal Portfolio Part 1, Wearable art

In this first unit, students explore wearable art and the world of jewellery making. Their design brief is to design and make a piece of wearable art in response to the theme of ‘colour and pattern’. Students study works by Art Smith, Marjorie Schick and Julia Turner, as well as the collections of the Design Museum and the Tate museums.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding how sources inspire the development of ideas, drawing on the work and approaches of artists, craftspeople or designers from contemporary and/or historical contexts, periods, societies, cultures, contemporary and/or historical environments, situations and issues
  • Understanding the ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions can be communicated through visual and tactile language, using formal elements, including colour, line, form, tone and texture
  • Knowing the characteristics, properties and effects of different three-dimensional media, materials, techniques and processes, and the ways in which these can be used to realise creative intentions
  • Understanding the purposes, intentions and functions of three-dimensional design in a variety of contexts

Key skills developed:

  • How to set up and use a variety of tools, machines, equipment and materials safely and accurately
  • How to measure, mark out, saw, sand, drill, bond and laser cut/engrave
  • How to decorate using paints, stains and enamelling

Assessment: Students receive summative feedback every term on their progress within their independent project. Areas of strength and areas for development are shared along with strategies to help students make rapid progress. The personal portfolio is internally assessed, internally standardised, and externally moderated by Edexcel. This component is worth 60% of the GCSE.

Year 11

Unit Content

Personal Portfolio Part 2, Storage box for jewellery

In this second unit, students build on their knowledge of successful project stages and begin to work more independently to create a full project of their own. The design brief is to research, design and make a presentation box or case in which to store the jewellery piece created in the first project.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding how sources inspire the development of ideas, drawing on the work and approaches of artists, craftspeople or designers from contemporary and/or historical contexts, periods, societies, cultures, contemporary and/or historical environments, situations and issues
  • Understanding the ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions can be communicated through visual and tactile language, using formal elements, including colour, line, form, tone and texture
  • Knowing the characteristics, properties and effects of different three-dimensional media, materials, techniques and processes, and the ways in which these can be used to realise creative intentions
  • Understanding the purposes, intentions and functions of three-dimensional design in a variety of contexts

Key skills developed:

  • How to set up and use a variety of tools, machines, equipment and materials safely and accurately
  • How to measure, mark out, saw, sand, drill, bond and laser cut/engrave
  • How to decorate using paints, stains and enamelling

Assessment: Students receive summative feedback every term on their progress within their independent project. Areas of strength and areas for development are shared along with strategies to help students make rapid progress. The personal portfolio is internally assessed, internally standardised, and externally moderated by Edexcel. This component is worth 60% of the GCSE.

Externally set assignment

This externally set assignment (ESA) begins in January of Year 11. Students are provided with a range of starting points to consider. Their task is to independently design and create a product in response to their chosen theme. Previous themes have included, ‘lock’, ‘fragments’, ‘reflection’ and ‘event’. Disciplines encouraged include product design, jewellery design and architecture. The project concludes in the first week after the Easter holidays in an exam, taken over two days (10 hours), in which students create their design in the workshop in exam conditions.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding how sources inspire the development of ideas, drawing on the work and approaches of artists, craftspeople or designers from contemporary and/or historical contexts, periods, societies, cultures, contemporary and/or historical environments, situations and issues
  • Understanding the ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions can be communicated through visual and tactile language, using formal elements, including colour, line, form, tone and texture
  • Knowing the characteristics, properties and effects of different three-dimensional media, materials, techniques and processes, and the ways in which these can be used to realise creative intentions
  • Understanding the purposes, intentions and functions of three-dimensional design in a variety of contexts

Key skills developed:

  • How to set up and use a variety of tools, machines, equipment and materials safely and accurately
  • How to measure, mark out, saw, sand, drill, bond and laser cut/engrave
  • How to decorate using paints, stains, resins and enamelling

Assessment: Students receive summative feedback every term on their progress within their independent project. Areas of strength and areas for development are shared along with strategies to help students make rapid progress. The externally set assignment is internally assessed, internally standardised, and externally moderated by Edexcel. This component is worth 40% of the GCSE.