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16 April 2026

Tag: design and technology

GCSE results 2021: Design and technology

Here are the trends in the latest design and technology GCSE results for summer 2021. The proportion of grade 9 results achieved by DT students, equivalent to a high A* under the old GCSE system, rose to 7.9 per cent, compared to 6.2 per cent in 2020 and 3.8 per cent in 2019. You can […]

GCSE results 2021: Art and design

Here are the trends in the latest art and design GCSE results for summer 2021. The proportion of grade 9 results achieved by art and design subject students, equivalent to a high A* under the old GCSE system, rose to 7 per cent, compared to 6.5 per cent in 2020 and 4.7 per cent in […]

‘Permissive’ national curriculum gives schools too much freedom, says Ofsted director

The national curriculum has become too “permissive”, and making more subjects compulsory at key stage 4 could help “lever change and improvement”, a senior Ofsted official has said. Sean Harford told the House of Lords youth unemployment committee yesterday that schools had responded “in a way that has been unhelpful” to decisions to stop requiring […]

EBacc ‘increases arts subject entries’ but teacher numbers fall

The EBacc has prompted a rise in pupils taking at least one arts subject at GCSE – but the number of teachers and contact hours dedicated to those subjects have fallen, because schools have “misunderstood” the EBacc, according to a new report. Concerns from cultural organisations that the five EBacc subjects – English, maths, science, a language […]

Design and technology: 87 MPs demand inclusion of subject in EBacc

Pupils should be able to choose between computer science and design and technology as part of the EBacc, almost 90 MPs have said in a letter to the government. Conservative MP Michelle Donelan has secured the support of 87 MPs for a change which would allow schools to offer GCSE design and technology as a […]

Why the new D&T curriculum was so badly needed

The new D&T GCSE specification became available this term to allow teachers to prepare for the changes that will be implemented from September next year. Steven Parkinson explains why it represents a real opportunity. Design and technology (D&T) is at a crossroads. One road leads off a cliff. At the bottom of the ravine lies […]

Ebacc is to blame for the decline of D&T

The numbers of teachers of creative subjects are declining, while design and technology is in its death throes. Ross McGill knows who to blame The Department for Education (DfE) forces teachers to work like Mr Benn, the cartoon character from the 70s. Every day, he leaves his house and arrives at a fancy-dress shop where […]