National 4 Design and Manufacture

This explains the overall structure of the Course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.

• N4 Design and Manufacture Course Specification
  April 2015

These provide an outline of what each Unit will cover within the following Unit Specifications and detail the Outcomes and Assessment Standards.

• Design and Manufacture: Design (National 4) Unit Specification

          October 2018

• Design and Manufacture: Materials and Manufacturing (National 4) Unit Specification

          October 2018

These define the mandatory requirements for the Added Value Unit, including the Outcomes and Assessment Standards.

They also include the further mandatory information on Course coverage for the National 4 Course and include information on the assessment method to be used and the conditions of assessment.

• Design and Manufacture Assignment (National 4) Added Value Unit Specification

          June 2013

The Design and Manufacture Added Value Unit assessment is an assignment. Centres are permitted to adapt the published assessment within limits that are clearly described in the Assessment Overview of the Added Value Unit assessment.

In accordance with this, the assessor provides overall guidelines for the assignment including a brief and questions/tasks/prompts, to lead candidates through the assignment in clear stages. Candidates are required to design and manufacture a solution in response to a problem situation, by interpreting a brief, creating and developing design ideas, and using practical skills to manufacture a prototype.

Centres are supported by a bank of these assessments, available from September 2013. Centres can access the assessments through their SQA Co-ordinator.

As with all SQA Unit assessments, Added Value Unit assessments must be internally verified by centres.

These provide advice and guidance for teachers/lecturers on learning, teaching and assessment within the Course and its Units.

• National 4 Design and Manufacture Course and Unit Support Notes

          May 2015

These documents contain details of Unit assessment task(s), show approaches to gathering evidence and how the evidence can be judged against the Outcomes and Assessment Standards. Teachers/lecturers can arrange access to these confidential documents through their SQA Co-ordinator.

• Design and Manufacture Qualification Verification Summary Report Round 2
  July 2024
• Design and Manufacture Qualification Verification Summary Report
  April 2023
• Design and Manufacture Verification Key Messages Round 2 June 2018
• Design and Manufacture Verification Key Messages Round 2
  June 2017
• Design and Manufacture Verification Key Messages Round 1
  March 2017
• Design and Manufacture: Quality Assurance - external verification

Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries

Examples of candidate evidence and commentaries for unit assessment can be found on the SQA Secure Site. You can access these through your SQA Coordinator.

Changes to Understanding Standards materials

• Changes to published Understanding Standards materials for all subjects

Please note: Understanding Standards materials are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain up to date.

Additional resources session 2020-22

Further information can be found on the Understanding Standards Website.

• Design and Manufacture - Gathering evidence (21.25 MB)