Qualification
Accredited
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
A LEVEL
Specification
DESIGN AND
TECHNOLOGY
H404–H406
For first assessment in 2019
H418
For first assessment 2022
Version 1.5 (February 2026) ocr.org.uk/aleveldesignandtechnology
,Disclaimer Specifications are updated over time. Whilst every effort is made to check all
documents, there may be contradictions between published resources and the
specification, therefore please use the information on the latest specification at
all times. Where changes are made to specifications these will be indicated within
the document, there will be a new version number indicated, and a summary
of the changes. If you do notice a discrepancy between the specification and a
resource please contact us at:
We will inform centres about changes to specifications. We will also publish
changes on our website. The latest version of our specifications will always be
those on our website (ocr.org.uk) and these may differ from printed versions.
Registered office:
The Triangle Building © 2023 OCR. All rights reserved.
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge Copyright
CB2 8EA OCR retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications.
However, registered centres for OCR are permitted to copy material from this
OCR is an exempt charity. specification booklet for their own internal use.
Oxford Cambridge and RSA is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in
England. Registered company number 3484466.
,Contents
1 Why choose an OCR A Level in Design and Technology? 2
1a. Why choose an OCR qualification? 2
1b. Why choose an OCR A Level in Design and Technology? 3
1c. What are the key features of this specification? 5
1d. How do I find out more information? 6
2 The specification overview 7
2a. OCR’s A Level in Design and Technology (H404, H405 and H406) 7
2b. Content of A Level in Design and Technology (H404, H405 and H406) 8
2c. Summary of endorsed titles 9
2d. Introduction to the content of the Principles (/01) and Problem Solving (/02)
components 10
2e. Design Engineering (H404/01 and H404/02) 11
2f. Fashion and Textiles (H405/01 and H405/02) 25
2g. Product Design (H406/01 and H406/02) 37
2h. Introduction to non-exam assessment (NEA) content – Iterative Design Project 49
2i. Non-exam assessment interpretation – Design Engineering (H404/03, 04) 57
2j. Non-exam assessment interpretation – Fashion and Textiles (H405/03, 04) 58
2k. Non-exam assessment interpretation – Product Design (H406/03, 04) 59
2l. Prior knowledge, learning and progression 60
3 Assessment of A Level in Design and Technology 61
3a. Forms of assessment 61
3b. Assessment objectives (AO) 68
3c. Total qualification time 69
3d. Assessment availability 69
3e. Retaking the qualification 69
3f. Assessment of extended response 69
3g. Internal assessment of non-exam assessment (NEA) 69
3h. Synoptic assessment 79
3i. Calculating qualification results 79
4 Admin: what you need to know 80
4a. Pre-assessment 80
4b. Special consideration 82
4c. External assessment arrangements 82
4d. Admin of non-exam assessment 82
4e. Results and certificates 85
4f. Post-results services 86
4g. Malpractice 86
5 Appendices 87
5a. Accessibility 87
5b. Overlap with other qualifications 87
5c. Use of mathematics within Design and Technology 88
5d. Use of science within Design and Technology 95
5e. Data Source 101
5f. Glossary of terms from the specification content 108
5g. Accepted file formats 111
5h. Acknowledgements 111
Summary of updates 112
Version 1.5 © OCR 2023
A Level in Design and Technology 1
, 1 Why choose an OCR A Level in Design
and Technology?
1a. Why choose an OCR qualification?
1 Choose OCR and you’ve got the reassurance that to encourage learners to become responsible for their
you’re working with one of the UK’s leading exam own learning, confident in discussing ideas,
boards. Our new A Level in Design and Technology innovative and engaged.
course has been developed in consultation with
teachers, employers and Higher Education to provide We provide a range of support services designed to
learners with a qualification that’s relevant to them help you at every stage, from preparation through to
and meets their needs. the delivery of our specifications. This includes:
We’re part of the Cambridge Assessment Group, • A wide range of high-quality creative resources
Europe’s largest assessment agency and a including:
department of the University of Cambridge. o Delivery Guides
Cambridge Assessment plays a leading role in o Transition Guides
developing and delivering assessments throughout o Topic Exploration Packs
the world, operating in over 150 countries. o Lesson Elements
o …and much more.
We work with a range of education providers,
including schools, colleges, workplaces and other • Access to Subject Advisors to support you
institutions in both the public and private sectors. through the transition and throughout the
Over 13,000 centres choose our A Levels, GCSEs and lifetime of the specification.
vocational qualifications including Cambridge
Nationals and Cambridge Technicals. • CPD/Training for teachers to introduce the
qualifications and prepare you for first
Our Specifications teaching.
We believe in developing specifications that help you • Active Results – our free results analysis service
bring the subject to life and inspire your students to to help you review the performance of
achieve more. individual learners or whole schools.
We’ve created teacher-friendly specifications based All A Level qualifications offered by OCR are
on extensive research and engagement with the accredited by Ofqual, the Regulator for qualifications
teaching community. They’re designed to be offered in England. The accreditation number for
straightforward and accessible so that you can tailor OCR’s A Level in Design and Technology is
the delivery of the course to suit your needs. We aim QN603/1131/9.
Version 1.5 © OCR 2023
2 A Level in Design and Technology
Accredited
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
A LEVEL
Specification
DESIGN AND
TECHNOLOGY
H404–H406
For first assessment in 2019
H418
For first assessment 2022
Version 1.5 (February 2026) ocr.org.uk/aleveldesignandtechnology
,Disclaimer Specifications are updated over time. Whilst every effort is made to check all
documents, there may be contradictions between published resources and the
specification, therefore please use the information on the latest specification at
all times. Where changes are made to specifications these will be indicated within
the document, there will be a new version number indicated, and a summary
of the changes. If you do notice a discrepancy between the specification and a
resource please contact us at:
We will inform centres about changes to specifications. We will also publish
changes on our website. The latest version of our specifications will always be
those on our website (ocr.org.uk) and these may differ from printed versions.
Registered office:
The Triangle Building © 2023 OCR. All rights reserved.
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge Copyright
CB2 8EA OCR retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications.
However, registered centres for OCR are permitted to copy material from this
OCR is an exempt charity. specification booklet for their own internal use.
Oxford Cambridge and RSA is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in
England. Registered company number 3484466.
,Contents
1 Why choose an OCR A Level in Design and Technology? 2
1a. Why choose an OCR qualification? 2
1b. Why choose an OCR A Level in Design and Technology? 3
1c. What are the key features of this specification? 5
1d. How do I find out more information? 6
2 The specification overview 7
2a. OCR’s A Level in Design and Technology (H404, H405 and H406) 7
2b. Content of A Level in Design and Technology (H404, H405 and H406) 8
2c. Summary of endorsed titles 9
2d. Introduction to the content of the Principles (/01) and Problem Solving (/02)
components 10
2e. Design Engineering (H404/01 and H404/02) 11
2f. Fashion and Textiles (H405/01 and H405/02) 25
2g. Product Design (H406/01 and H406/02) 37
2h. Introduction to non-exam assessment (NEA) content – Iterative Design Project 49
2i. Non-exam assessment interpretation – Design Engineering (H404/03, 04) 57
2j. Non-exam assessment interpretation – Fashion and Textiles (H405/03, 04) 58
2k. Non-exam assessment interpretation – Product Design (H406/03, 04) 59
2l. Prior knowledge, learning and progression 60
3 Assessment of A Level in Design and Technology 61
3a. Forms of assessment 61
3b. Assessment objectives (AO) 68
3c. Total qualification time 69
3d. Assessment availability 69
3e. Retaking the qualification 69
3f. Assessment of extended response 69
3g. Internal assessment of non-exam assessment (NEA) 69
3h. Synoptic assessment 79
3i. Calculating qualification results 79
4 Admin: what you need to know 80
4a. Pre-assessment 80
4b. Special consideration 82
4c. External assessment arrangements 82
4d. Admin of non-exam assessment 82
4e. Results and certificates 85
4f. Post-results services 86
4g. Malpractice 86
5 Appendices 87
5a. Accessibility 87
5b. Overlap with other qualifications 87
5c. Use of mathematics within Design and Technology 88
5d. Use of science within Design and Technology 95
5e. Data Source 101
5f. Glossary of terms from the specification content 108
5g. Accepted file formats 111
5h. Acknowledgements 111
Summary of updates 112
Version 1.5 © OCR 2023
A Level in Design and Technology 1
, 1 Why choose an OCR A Level in Design
and Technology?
1a. Why choose an OCR qualification?
1 Choose OCR and you’ve got the reassurance that to encourage learners to become responsible for their
you’re working with one of the UK’s leading exam own learning, confident in discussing ideas,
boards. Our new A Level in Design and Technology innovative and engaged.
course has been developed in consultation with
teachers, employers and Higher Education to provide We provide a range of support services designed to
learners with a qualification that’s relevant to them help you at every stage, from preparation through to
and meets their needs. the delivery of our specifications. This includes:
We’re part of the Cambridge Assessment Group, • A wide range of high-quality creative resources
Europe’s largest assessment agency and a including:
department of the University of Cambridge. o Delivery Guides
Cambridge Assessment plays a leading role in o Transition Guides
developing and delivering assessments throughout o Topic Exploration Packs
the world, operating in over 150 countries. o Lesson Elements
o …and much more.
We work with a range of education providers,
including schools, colleges, workplaces and other • Access to Subject Advisors to support you
institutions in both the public and private sectors. through the transition and throughout the
Over 13,000 centres choose our A Levels, GCSEs and lifetime of the specification.
vocational qualifications including Cambridge
Nationals and Cambridge Technicals. • CPD/Training for teachers to introduce the
qualifications and prepare you for first
Our Specifications teaching.
We believe in developing specifications that help you • Active Results – our free results analysis service
bring the subject to life and inspire your students to to help you review the performance of
achieve more. individual learners or whole schools.
We’ve created teacher-friendly specifications based All A Level qualifications offered by OCR are
on extensive research and engagement with the accredited by Ofqual, the Regulator for qualifications
teaching community. They’re designed to be offered in England. The accreditation number for
straightforward and accessible so that you can tailor OCR’s A Level in Design and Technology is
the delivery of the course to suit your needs. We aim QN603/1131/9.
Version 1.5 © OCR 2023
2 A Level in Design and Technology
