What are the 6 Rs in AQA GCSE Design and Technology?

The 6 Rs are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Rethink and Repair. They are a framework for judging and improving the sustainability of a product and recur throughout the specification, especially when discussing new technologies and the ecological footprint of design choices.

What is the systems approach in design and technology?

The systems approach describes a product as three blocks: input, process and output. Input devices are sensors such as switches, light-dependent resistors and thermistors; the process block, often a microcontroller, makes a decision; and output devices such as motors, lamps and buzzers produce an action. It is drawn as a block diagram with arrows showing the signal flow.

What are smart materials and how do they differ from modern materials?

Modern materials are newly developed or improved materials such as graphene or corn starch polymers. Smart materials change a property in response to an external change, for example shape memory alloy returns to shape when heated, thermochromic pigment changes colour with temperature, and photochromic materials change with light. Composites and technical textiles are also studied in this part of the specification.

How should I revise Core technical principles for AQA GCSE Design and Technology?

Work through each numbered section (3.1.1 to 3.1.6), learning the key definitions precisely and practising balanced answers that weigh benefits against drawbacks, for example for automation. Drill the 6 Rs, the four types of motion, the system blocks and the material categories, then attempt past-paper questions, since around half of Paper 1's marks come from these core principles.

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AQA GCSE Design and Technology 3.1 Core technical principles: a complete overview

Q: What does AQA GCSE Design and Technology 3.1 Core technical principles cover?

Core technical principles covers the knowledge every design and technology student needs regardless of material area: new and emerging technologies and their impact, energy generation and storage, modern and smart materials, the systems approach of inputs, processes and outputs, mechanical devices and motion, and the categories and properties of materials such as papers, timbers, metals, polymers and textiles.

A deep-dive AQA GCSE Design and Technology guide to 3.1 Core technical principles. Covers new and emerging technologies, energy generation and storage, modern and smart materials, the systems approach, mechanical devices, and material categories and properties, with the exam patterns AQA repeats.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.816 min read3.1Updated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

Jump to a section

What 3.1 Core technical principles covers
Recurring themes
How to study Core technical principles
The six parts, dot point by dot point
For the official specification

AQA GCSE Design and Technology (specification 8552) is assessed by one written paper (50%) and a non-exam assessment (50%). The 3.1 Core technical principles are the knowledge every student needs whatever material area they specialise in, and they make up a large share of the written paper. This guide maps the six parts of the section and how to revise each.

What 3.1 Core technical principles covers

Core technical principles is broad, factual knowledge shared by all candidates. The six parts are:

3.1.1 New and emerging technologies: How new technologies affect industry, enterprise, sustainability, people, society, the environment and production systems such as automation and CAD/CAM.
3.1.2 Energy generation and storage: Fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewable sources, how energy is generated and stored (including batteries), and how it powers products and manufacturing.
3.1.3 Modern and smart materials: Modern materials, smart materials that respond to change, composites and technical textiles, and their properties and uses.
3.1.4 Systems approach: Describing products as inputs, processes and outputs, using sensors, processing and control, and output devices, drawn as block diagrams.
3.1.5 Mechanical devices: The four types of motion and the devices that change movement: levers and linkages, gears, pulleys and belts, and cams and followers.
3.1.6 Materials and their properties: The categories of papers and boards, timbers, metals, polymers and textiles, and the physical and mechanical properties that decide their use.

Recurring themes

A few ideas run right through this section and the whole specification.

The 6 Rs. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Rethink and Repair are the test for sustainability, useful in almost any extended answer.
Balanced judgement. Many marks come from weighing benefits against drawbacks, for example automation raising efficiency but cutting low-skilled jobs.
Property to use. Choosing materials and devices means matching properties to a need, a skill reused in specialist principles.

How to study Core technical principles

Learn definitions precisely. Terms such as enterprise, smart material, tolerance and the four types of motion are reused in the exam.
Practise balanced answers. Extended questions reward both benefits and drawbacks with a clear conclusion.
Drill the frameworks. The 6 Rs, the input-process-output blocks and the material categories are quick marks when learned by heart.
Link to the real world. Use real products and technologies as examples to support points.
Attempt past papers. Question style is board-specific, so practise AQA 8552 papers under timed conditions.

The six parts, dot point by dot point

Each part has a specification-statement-level answer page with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus this overview 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 and mark schemes at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

Sources & how we know this

AQA GCSE Design and Technology (8552) specification — AQA (2017)