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AQA GCSE Design and Technology (8552): complete guide to the content, exam and NEA

A complete guide to AQA GCSE Design and Technology (specification 8552). Explains the single written paper and the non-exam assessment, the three areas of content from core technical principles to specialist principles and designing and making principles, and the design, maths and evaluation skills the qualification rewards.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (20)

AQA GCSE Design and Technology (specification 8552) is a linear course assessed by one written paper (50%) and a non-exam assessment, the design and make project (50%). This page is the index: below is a map of the three content areas, the exam and NEA structure, and how to study the whole course.

The three content areas

The specification groups all the knowledge into three areas, each with numbered sections.

3.1 Core technical principles
The broad knowledge every student needs: new and emerging technologies, energy generation and storage, modern and smart materials, the systems approach of inputs, processes and outputs, mechanical devices and motion, and material categories and properties.
3.2 Specialist technical principles
Deeper applied knowledge: selecting materials and components, forces and stresses, the ecological and social footprint, the sources and origins of materials, working with materials, stock forms and scales of production, and surface treatments and finishes.
3.3 Designing and making principles
The design process: investigation and the work of others, design briefs and specifications, design strategies such as iterative design, communicating ideas through drawing and CAD, prototype development, and material management and tools.

Exam and NEA structure

AQA GCSE Design and Technology is assessed in two halves, both completed in Year 11.

  • Written paper - 2 hours, 100 marks, 50%. Three sections covering core technical principles, specialist technical principles, and designing and making principles, with multiple choice, short answer and extended questions.
  • Non-exam assessment (NEA) - a design and make project, around 30 to 35 hours, 100 marks, 50%. A response to an AQA contextual challenge, marked across six criteria from investigation to evaluation.

At least 15% of written-paper marks assess maths and at least 15% assess science. A calculator is allowed in the written exam.

How to study AQA Design and Technology

Design and technology rewards precise knowledge, balanced judgement, and clear design thinking.

  1. Work from the specification statements. Each numbered point (for example 3.1.5 mechanical devices) is a checklist; questions are written from them.
  2. Learn the frameworks. The 6 Rs, the four types of motion, the five forces and the four process families are reliable, quick marks.
  3. Practise balanced answers. Extended questions reward weighing benefits against drawbacks with a clear conclusion.
  4. Drill the maths and science. Costs, percentages, areas, tolerances, forces and material properties recur in the written paper.
  5. Apply it to your NEA. The designing and making principles drive your project, so use iterative design, research and testing in your own work.

The content, dot point by dot point

Each section has specification-statement-level answer pages with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus an overview guide and a quiz. Browse the full set at /gcse-aqa/design-and-technology/syllabus.

For the official specification

AQA publishes the full specification (8552), past papers, mark schemes and the NEA contextual challenges at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA's own past papers, because question style and the NEA challenges are board-specific.

Design and Technology guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Design and Technology practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The GCSE-AQA system, explained

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Common questions about Design and Technology

How is AQA GCSE Design and Technology (8552) structured?
AQA GCSE Design and Technology is a linear course assessed in two parts: one written exam worth 50% and a non-exam assessment (NEA) worth 50%. The written paper covers core technical principles, specialist technical principles and designing and making principles. The NEA is a substantial design and make project responding to a contextual challenge set by AQA, marked against six criteria from investigation to evaluation.
What does the AQA GCSE Design and Technology written paper assess?
The single written paper is 2 hours and worth 100 marks (50% of the GCSE). It has three sections: core technical principles (a mix of multiple choice and short answer), specialist technical principles (several short and extended questions), and designing and making principles (longer questions including design and analysis). At least 15% of the marks assess maths and at least 15% assess science.
What is the non-exam assessment (NEA) in AQA GCSE Design and Technology?
The NEA is a design and make project worth 50% of the GCSE, taking around 30 to 35 hours. AQA releases contextual challenges on 1 June in the year before submission. Students investigate, write a brief and specification, generate and develop ideas, plan and make a prototype, and test and evaluate it. It is marked out of 100 across six criteria and assessed by the school, then moderated by AQA.
What are the three areas of content in AQA GCSE Design and Technology?
The content is grouped into 3.1 Core technical principles (new and emerging technologies, energy, modern and smart materials, the systems approach, mechanical devices and materials), 3.2 Specialist technical principles (selecting materials, forces and stresses, the ecological and social footprint, sources of materials, working with materials, stock forms and production, and finishes), and 3.3 Designing and making principles (research, briefs and specifications, design strategies, communicating ideas, prototyping and material management).
How much maths and science is in AQA GCSE Design and Technology?
At least 15% of the written-paper marks assess mathematical skills, such as calculating costs, percentages, areas, volumes and tolerances, and at least 15% assess scientific knowledge, such as forces, energy and the properties of materials. A calculator is allowed in the written exam.
How should I revise AQA GCSE Design and Technology?
Work through the numbered specification statements in 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3, learning key definitions and frameworks such as the 6 Rs, the four types of motion, the five forces and the four manufacturing process families. Practise balanced extended answers and the maths questions, apply concepts to real products, and use the iterative design process in your NEA. Then drill AQA 8552 past papers under timed conditions.
How does AQA GCSE Design and Technology compare to other exam boards?
All GCSE Design and Technology specifications (AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Eduqas) follow the same regulated framework of core and specialist technical principles plus a design and make NEA, so the broad content is similar everywhere. AQA's distinctive features are the single 100-mark written paper, its specific contextual challenges for the NEA, and the way it groups content into core, specialist and designing and making principles. Always revise from the current AQA 8552 specification and AQA past papers, because question style is board-specific.