How the Qualification is Assessed
WJEC GCSE Design & Technology — teaching from 2026, first award 2028
The two units
| Unit 1: Design & Technology in the 21st Century | Unit 2: Design Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Digital (on-screen) examination | Non-examination assessment (NEA) |
| Length | 1 hour 30 minutes | Approximately 40 hours |
| Marks | 80 | 100 |
| Weighting | 30% | 70% |
| Marked by | WJEC | The centre, externally moderated by WJEC |
Unit 1 asks for objective responses, short answers and extended answers. It covers the core content plus the in-depth content for your chosen pathway.
Unit 2 is a sustained design and make task based on a contextual challenge set by WJEC, assessing your ability to identify, investigate, analyse and outline design possibilities, then design and make prototypes and evaluate their fitness for purpose.
Assessment objectives
| AO1 | AO2 | AO3 | AO4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | 15% | 15% | — | — | 30% |
| Unit 2 | — | 15% | 35% | 20% | 70% |
| Overall | 15% | 30% | 35% | 20% | 100% |
- AO1 — demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles, materials, tools and techniques used in design and technology.
- AO2 — apply that knowledge and understanding.
- AO3 — develop designs and tangible products.
- AO4 — analyse and evaluate products and solutions in a range of design and technology contexts.
Notice that AO3 is the single largest slice of the qualification at 35%, and it is only available in Unit 2. Together with AO4, that makes the Design Project worth more than twice the exam.
How deeply you need to know something
The specification describes each topic using five stems, and they tell you what depth is expected:
| Stem | What it means |
|---|---|
| Learners should know | Basic knowledge and understanding. |
| Learners should be able to | Apply knowledge to a practical situation, or demonstrate a practical skill. |
| Learners should understand | Greater depth — apply to unfamiliar contexts, analyse and evaluate. |
| Learners should be aware of | You do not need to know every aspect in detail. |
| Learners are required to | A requirement of the unit itself. |
Two words matter when reading the content lists. "Including" means the content must be taught and can be examined. "For example" or "such as" means the content is guidance only, and other examples are equally acceptable.
Still to be published
The specification confirms Unit 2 is worth 100 marks and gives the assessment objective weightings, but the mark breakdown across the six content areas has not yet been published — WJEC will set it out in the Assessment Pack. Do not assume it matches the legacy NEA's section structure. Further detail on the depth and breadth of teaching will follow in the Guidance for Teaching.