KS4 Manufacturing

GCSE Manufacturing is a course aimed at pupils who are likely to get good GCSE grades and will not be suitable for those who struggle with their work. It involves a mixture of work in school, going to North Lindsey College for half a day and for industrial visits each half-term. Pupils on the course also need to be well motivated, manage their coursework and be well behaved.

The course is for a GCSE double award. It is worth two GCSEs and so it takes up the time of two option subjects.

Pupils taking this qualification are well-equipped to enter further education or recruitment into general manufacturing, product design, production planning, production control or project management.

Curriculum Content

The aim of GCSE manufacturing is for candidates to fully understand the industrial world of making products. During the course pupils are fully involved in the design production and evaluation of products and the methods by which they are manufactured. It is a practical course, but much broader in its use of materials than just the wood, metal and plastics of Resistant Materials GCSE. Materials that are processed and manufactured include card as in packaging, food products, liquids, metals, plastics, etc. Pupils learn to use computer aided design (CAD) and use computer aided manufacture (CAM) to make products. Pupils are able to work in teams and as individuals.

Resources

This course will be delivered through a combination of half days at North Lindsey College together with lessons in school. Pupils will be able to experience using a range of computer controlled manufacturing processes, using a range of materials. They will plan and manufacture a range of products using these state of the art resources. Links with local industry are an essential part of the course, together with work experience and work-based studies.

Skills and Knowledge

The work done in GCSE manufacturing will explore and experience design and technology and how it relates to manufactured products. It differs from resistant materials and graphics by the increased focus on manufacture and production. Pupils will design and make products for a final assessment in the same way as the present GCSE, but the manufacturing will rely much more on the use of a computer controlled router to cut joints in wood and a computer controlled miller or cutter to shape products in both plastic and metals.

Assessment

Pupils will study three units of work:

• Designing products for manufacture (portfolio) – this unit deals with design using CAD. It considers the production requirements, constraints and the presentation of design solutions.
• Making and manufacturing products (portfolio and products) – this unit deals with production planning and scheduling, the use of manufacturing equipment, batch processing, and quality control.
• Application of technology (examination) – this is the written examination taken at the end of the course.

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