V&A Innovate
V&A Innovate is an annual National Schools Challenge, asking students in years 7, 8 and 9 to work in teams of 4 – 6 to design a solution to a real-world problem. Deadline for entry is 10 January 2025.
November 2024 Design and Technology update
Thu Nov 21 14:06:00 UTC 2024
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Welcome to your November 2024 Design and Technology subject update.
- Key dates
- Insights 2024 event slides
- New to Edexcel support
- Our new Qualifications Support Portal - now live!
- Administrative support guide (ASG)
- Access to Scripts
- AI guidance video
- External resources to enhance creativity in your curriculum
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 13 December | Last date to use the Access To Scripts service via Script Viewer. |
| 21 February | Entry deadline for GCSE and A level qualifications (UK centres) |
| 21 March | Entry deadline for GCSE and A level qualifications (International centres) |
| 15 May | Deadline to submit NEA samples and marks |
To access further information on the key dates such as, late entries, please visit the information manual, accessible from link below.
Training: GCSE and A level Insights 2024 event slides
Following on from the recent Insights events, please find links to past training content, where you can access the slides for these events, as well as other past training materials.
Our new Qualifications Support Portal - now live!
We’re excited to introduce our enhanced Qualifications Support Portal, designed to make getting help quicker and easier than ever.
A new contact-us journey enables you to connect quickly with our support teams in the way that suits you; via live-chat for real-time assistance, or webform, as well as traditional phone or email routes. You can use your Pearson Portal (Edexcel Online) credentials to access secure personalised support even faster, and view your existing cases.
Our comprehensive support article library has also been restructured with sections specific to teachers, as well as stronger search functions, to resolve your own queries quickly and easily.
Read our getting started support article here: Customer Support Portal: Getting Started, and remember to bookmark the portal in Chrome, Edge, Safari or other web browser for quick access.
Administrative support guide (ASG)
You can access the administrative support guide for GCSE and A level Design and Technology NEA from the link below. This document includes information such as;
- Key dates
- Administrative information for the NEA
- Links to forms
- Guidance on NEA submissions
Access to scripts
Our free Access to Scripts service allows you to view your candidates’ marked exam scripts online or download as a PDF (with candidate permission). It is available from results day until the 13 December 2024.
Providing a rich source of information, you can use this service to help make decisions about requesting a review of marking, but it can also help inform future teaching and learning and gives insights and visibility that performance data alone cannot provide.
If scripts have been marked ‘traditionally’ (ie not online), you will need to request them, free of charge, by 13 December 2024, via the Post Results section of Edexcel Online as in previous exam series.
D&T NEA - AI guidance recording
You can access a recorded version of the AI guidance for NEAs below. This recording will provide useful information on the use of AI in the NEA projects, how and when they can be marked and provide some exemplification.
External resources to enhance creativity in your curriculum
Here are some links and resources from the Design and Technology world to help bring some inspiration to your wider curriculum development.
Become a Creativity Champion
64 Million Artists (supported by Pearson) have created a resource pack for schools to support delivery of The January Challenge 2025. This initiative will help more students, and more teachers feel creative at school, creating a stronger sense of community, agency, wellbeing, and a capacity to engage with the curriculum. We hope a creative January inspires a creative February and beyond!
Design Ventura and other resources
A free, annual design challenge for students in years 9, 10 and 11, run by the Design Museum and supported by Deutsche Bank. Registrations are open for schools to enter the competition. From June, visit the display to discover the top ten shortlisted projects alongside the winner idea.
Design and Technology Association
Design and Technology Association provides useful resources, training and events for teachers. Please visit their website and navigate and take a look at their website.
Design Council
Championing design excellence, the Design Council UK drives innovation and sustainable growth through strategic design. By fostering collaboration across sectors, it aims to create a more inclusive world through design. Teachers can access a wealth of resources, including guides on inclusive design, and tools for running design workshops.
Subject advisor
Evren Alibaba
Design and Technology
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Phone :
+44 (0) 344 463 2535
(Teaching Services team | Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm GMT)
