Design & Technology

Design and Technology at The Perse Sixth Form is about turning ideas into reality. Students design, prototype, test and manufacture real products, combining creativity with engineering and technical expertise to solve authentic design challenges. The course develops the practical and analytical skills needed to create innovative solutions, while encouraging students to think critically about how design can improve the world around us.

Learning through design and innovation

A level Design and Technology is unique in bringing together principles from design, engineering, science, mathematics and business within a single subject. Throughout the two-year course, students manage their own design projects from initial concept through research, modelling and prototyping to the manufacture of a finished product. Along the way, they develop creativity, engineering thinking, project management, communication and problem-solving skills that are highly valued by universities and employers alike.

Students also gain experience in technical drawing, CAD/CAM, practical manufacturing techniques and iterative design, learning how to refine and improve their ideas through testing and evaluation.

Learning beyond the classroom

The Design and Technology department offers a wide range of enrichment opportunities that extend learning beyond the A level specification. Students can undertake ambitious Rouse Projects, apply for prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, and benefit from work placements with leading organisations including Rolls-Royce and other engineering and manufacturing companies.

Being based in Cambridge also provides access to a world-leading innovation ecosystem, while visits to organisations such as Lotus and London’s Design Museum give students first-hand insight into product development, engineering excellence and contemporary design.

University preparation and future pathways

Design and Technology provides outstanding preparation for university courses in Product Design, Engineering, Architecture, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Robotics, Sustainable Design and Design Engineering. Alongside technical knowledge, students develop transferable skills in research, communication, project management and creative thinking that are equally valuable across a wide range of disciplines.

Graduates go on to careers in product development, engineering, architecture, automotive and aerospace industries, consumer technology, construction and the wider creative industries, where innovation, technical expertise and design thinking are increasingly in demand.

Recent highlights

Students showcase their work each year in the department’s Design and Technology Exhibition, celebrating the creativity, technical skill and innovation that characterise Design and Technology at The Perse Sixth Form.

Assessment details

Exam (50%) and coursework (50%) in both the Lower and Upper Sixth. Exam taken at the end of the Upper Sixth.

The examining board is OCR.