What does this qualification cover?

Three-dimensional design involves the research, investigation, design and prototyping of products and objects using creative, innovative and practical skills.

The qualification gives students the opportunity to explore a range of three-dimensional design in both the product design and architecture fields, creating outcomes such as speakers, lamps and architectural models.

Alongside improving practical modelling skills, students learn how to develop, refine and record their ideas, demonstrating understanding of their inspiration. Students will learn how to present a personal response to a given brief, whilst improving creative skills through the effective use of a vast range of media, materials, techniques, processes and technologies.

This course is one in which students learn by doing; students will develop their creativity and independent thought, expressing themselves visually and letting their imagination flourish.  

What’s included?

• Students will study four projects across the two year GCSE course. Component One counts for 60% of the GCSE grade and is made up of a speaker project, a lamps and lighting project and an architecture project. Component Two counts for 40% of the GCSE grade and the brief for this project is set by the examination board.  
• Students will develop a portfolio of skills which showcase their best work from a starting point, through research, investigation, idea generation, development and modelling to a final outcome which is a personal response to the given brief.  
• Students work in A3 portfolios and the course contains a mixture of both hand produced work and computer aided design; presentation and layout is key.  

Key Features

Students will develop and enhance skills such as:  

• Researching & analysing existing designers  
• Understanding the inspirations of existing designers 
• Personal investigations  
• Primary research photography  
• Observation  
• Appreciation; critical analysis of the work of others  
• Problem solving and communication  
• Drawing and rendering skills  
• Computer Aided Design 
• Computer Aided Manufacture  
• 3D Modelling  
• Competent use of ICT  
• Organisation and Time Management  
• Creative Thinking  
• Experimentation with a wide range of media and materials  
• Evaluation  

links to workplace:

Having a three-dimensional, art and design portfolio will help you progress into a wide range of creative industries. Its balance of practical, academic and analytical skills are widely transferrable and students often find that this subject compliments their other subject choices. Particularly for students going on to study this or a similar subject at Level 3, the GCSE course will give you a solid foundation in which to build upon. This subject will give you all sorts of exciting career and future opportunities, including:  

• Architect; designing and constructing buildings  
• Exhibition Designer; creating advertising and branding displays for exhibitions  
• Furniture Designer; design, creating and testing furniture for a range of purposes  
• Interior Designer; working with clients to design interiors of homes and hotels  
• Landscape Architect; designing client gardens on both a large and small scale  
• Model Maker; manufacturing models such as props for TV shows  
• Product Designer; inventing new and developing existing products for client use 
• Teacher; teaching others about designing and inspiring creativity  
• Toy Designer; designing and creating toys for a range of different audiences  
• TV/Film/Set Designer; imagining and bringing to life sets used in TV, film and theatre  
• Game Designer; combining your Art & Design skills with computing  
• Graphic Design; magazine and website design, motion graphics and advertising 

This is just a small selection that shows you the pathways that a creative subject can lead.