The draft design and technology GCSE subject content document states "Through their work in design and technology students must apply relevant knowledge, skills and understanding from key stage 3 and 4 courses in the sciences and mathematics" and includes specific links to mathematical skills including handling data, graphs, geometry and trigonometry.
First teaching of the reformed design and technology GCSE will begin in September 2017. School reform minister Nick Gibb has said that the changes will "strengthen their academic rigour and to ensure young people are prepared for life in modern Britain. The reforms are extensive and represent a new qualifications standard, keeping pace with universities’ and employers’ needs."
It is intended that the mathematics content in the design and technology specification is embedded in teaching and learning in a variety of different contexts. Our two-day, bursary funded CPD will give you the information needed to make this, as well as other changes to your curriculum.
Often, the required skills have already been taught in mathematics lessons, however students can struggle to perform the same mathematics in a different context. This difficulty provides an opportunity for design and technology and mathematics teachers to work collaboratively when approaching topics relevant to both subjects. Resources such as our Bloodhound SSC collection can help with this.
To help prepare for the changes, we have collated mathematical resources that we think will help planning in the coming months. The first collection focuses on how units of measurement, area and volume can be embedded into design and technology lessons. It contains ideas that explore why we use standardised units of measurement, how being able to estimate lengths and looks at bounds of accuracy in calculations – all skills relevant to the new design and technology GCSE.