Design & Technology (9-1) 0979

Choose your paper route

• Exams 2026–2027 · legacy syllabusPaper 1 + Component 2 + one of Paper 3 / Paper 4 / Paper 5

  For exams 2026–2027, candidates take Paper 1 Product Design (1h 15m, 50 marks, 25%; answer one of three questions), Component 2 Project (100 marks, 50%; school-based, internally assessed and externally moderated), and one option: Paper 3 Resistant Materials, Paper 4 Systems & Control or Paper 5 Graphic Products (each 1 hour, 50 marks, 25%). Older overall assessment objectives are AO1 30%, AO2 50%, AO3 20%. Select one specialist route only: Resistant Materials, Systems & Control, or Graphic Products. Check the annual syllabus and entries guide.

• Exams 2028–2030 · revised syllabusPaper 1 + Component 2 + either Paper 3 Materials or Paper 4 Graphic Products

  For exams 2028–2030, candidates take Paper 1 (1h, 50 marks, 25%; answer all questions), Component 2 Project (100 marks, 50%), and either Paper 3 Materials or Paper 4 Graphic Products (1h, 50 marks, 25%; answer all questions). Systems & Control is no longer a separate option. Overall AO weightings are AO1 25%, AO2 35%, AO3 20%, AO4 20%. 0979 awards 9 to 1. The revised syllabus removes Systems & Control as a separate option, moves Graphic Products from Paper 5 to Paper 4 and changes Paper 1 question style. Cambridge lists June and November for 0445; verify the relevant route for 0979 with the exams officer.

This is an online study pathway for syllabus knowledge, planning and scenario practice. It does not provide machine access, workshop supervision, official Cambridge questions or official grading. Confirm option, facilities, series, deadlines and current instructions with the teacher or exams officer.

Practice the papers

• Product Design · all candidatesPaper 1 · 10 lessons
  Design for a real user and a real contextInvestigate a need and write a testable specificationGenerate distinct ideas and compare them fairlyDevelop a proposal with models and iterationPlan a design so it can be made and evaluatedCommunicate designs with drawings, models and dataExplain electronic inputs, processes and outputsAnalyse products, quality and design technologyLegacy common content: design, society and resourcesLegacy Systems & Control: electronics and switching

  Legacy Paper 1: 1h 15m, 50 marks, answer one of three questions. Revised Paper 1: 1h, 50 marks, answer all structured questions. Use the paper pattern for the candidate's year.

• Project · school-basedComponent 2 · 15 lessons
  Design for a real user and a real contextInvestigate a need and write a testable specificationGenerate distinct ideas and compare them fairlyDevelop a proposal with models and iterationPlan a design so it can be made and evaluatedCommunicate designs with drawings, models and dataSelect making processes with safety in mindClassify materials and justify a choiceUse structure, forces and reinforcementChoose mechanisms to change motion or forceExplain electronic inputs, processes and outputsAnalyse products, quality and design technologyLegacy common content: design, society and resourcesLegacy Systems & Control: electronics and switchingLearn the project process while keeping assessed work your own

  100 marks and 50%; internally assessed and externally moderated. Revised criteria allocate 15 Investigating, 35 Designing, 38 Making and 12 Testing/Evaluating. Practice on StudyForA uses fictional tasks. The candidate creates their own work; the teacher authenticates it and the centre assesses it.

• Materials · revised optionPaper 3 · Materials (2028–2030) · 5 lessons
  Select making processes with safety in mindClassify materials and justify a choiceCompare the Materials option material familiesSelect Materials-option processes and production methodsAnalyse products, quality and design technology

  For exams 2028–2030, this 1-hour, 50-mark paper is 25% of the qualification. Candidates answer all questions across two structured sections. Candidates need knowledge of every materials area; where working knowledge is assessed, questions allow reference to materials the candidate has practised.

• Graphic Products · revised optionPaper 4 · Graphic Products (2028–2030) · 6 lessons
  Communicate designs with drawings, models and dataSelect making processes with safety in mindAnalyse products, quality and design technologyChoose materials for graphic productsUse technical drawing and visual presentationPlan graphic-product making, printing and finishing

  For exams 2028–2030, this 1-hour, 50-mark drawing paper is 25%. Candidates answer all questions on pre-printed A3 sheets; the paper includes three structured questions with formal drawings, sketches, notes, and short written answers.

• Resistant Materials · legacy optionPaper 3 · Resistant Materials (2026–2027) · 6 lessons
  Select making processes with safety in mindClassify materials and justify a choiceCompare the Materials option material familiesSelect Materials-option processes and production methodsPrepare for the 2026–2027 Resistant Materials optionLegacy Resistant Materials: tools, processes and joints

  For exams 2026–2027, this 1-hour, 50-mark paper is 25%. The legacy format has Section A (answer all) and Section B (answer one). Its content and question pattern differ from the revised Materials paper.

• Systems & Control · legacy optionPaper 4 · Systems & Control (2026–2027) · 8 lessons
  Use structure, forces and reinforcementChoose mechanisms to change motion or forceExplain electronic inputs, processes and outputsLegacy Systems & Control: structures and mechanismsLegacy Systems & Control: electronics and switchingLegacy electronics: resistor networks and sensorsLegacy electronics: timers, logic and voltage comparisonLegacy mechanisms: transmission, bearings and efficiency

  For exams 2026–2027, this 1-hour, 50-mark paper is 25%. The legacy format has Section A (answer all) and Section B (answer one). Systems & Control is not a separate option in the 2028–2030 syllabus.

• Graphic Products · legacy optionPaper 5 · Graphic Products (2026–2027) · 7 lessons
  Communicate designs with drawings, models and dataSelect making processes with safety in mindChoose materials for graphic productsUse technical drawing and visual presentationPlan graphic-product making, printing and finishingLegacy Graphic Products: layout, lettering and reprographicsLegacy Graphic Products assessment and drawing route

  For exams 2026–2027, this 1-hour, 50-mark paper is 25%. The legacy format has Section A (answer all) and Section B (answer one). Graphic Products becomes Paper 4 with a revised format for exams 2028–2030.