To ask Her Majesty's Government, given their commitment to improving technical education, what steps they will take to arrest the decline in the number of students taking GCSEs in Design and Technology.
Answered on
5 February 2018
Design and technology is an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum. The Department have reformed the design and technology curriculum for GCSEs and A levels, with input from key organisations such as the James Dyson Foundation. This will align qualifications with high-tech industry practice and support students to progress into further study and employment.
The new curriculum and qualifications have been updated with a strong focus on iterative design processes, which are at the core of contemporary practice. The new design and technology curriculum was introduced in 2014, and the GCSE and A level introduced in September 2017 with the first examinations in 2019.
The Department continue to provide bursaries of up to £12,000 to attract more graduates into design and technology teaching.