Cambridge National in Engineering Design (J822) unit R039 – top tips for a successful outcome

Liz Bull, Design and Technology with Engineering Subject Advisor

This blog was originally published in 2023 and has been updated with new information. 

Many teachers worry whether they are covering everything needed for a successful outcome for unit R039 of the Cambridge National in Engineering Design (J822). Now that we’ve released the updated 2024 specification I thought it might be helpful to offer my revised top tips to help teachers with their summer submission.

Unit R039, Communicating designs, is made up of the following: 

• Task 1 – Manual production of free hand sketches 
• Task 2 – Manual production of free hand sketches: design development 
• Task 3 – Production of engineering drawings 
• Task 4 – Use of computer aided design (CAD)

Tip 1: assessment guidance

The specification has detailed assessment guidance for unit R039 tasks. This can be found on page 24 in the specification. This guidance outlines the key tasks that moderators will expect to see, linked to the marking criteria, and is a very useful place to start when planning the task content and delivery of the unit.

Tip 2: arrangement of candidates’ work

It’s important that your students arrange their work to flow, showing clear progression through the whole unit. Your students’ work needs to have clear labelling of each task and documents should not be submitted separately. We are looking for a short NEA-style presentation which shows from the beginning to the end. 

Don’t forget to ask your students to number the pages as this will help when you mark the work and identify the evidence in the NEA. This will also help the final moderation process and will make sure nothing is missed.

Tip 3: share the assignment with your students

It’s a good idea to share the assignment with your students and explain the terminology used in the document. Take time to explain the assessment guidance with the students, answering any questions for clarity. This will help students to lay their work out and making sure they complete each task and submit the required evidence. Remember that any work submitted cannot be double counted when marking.

Tip 4: expectation of NEA content

The layout of each task indicates what must be completed by your students to achieve the marks. Under these sections, you will find advice for the students of what is expected in the content. Don’t forget to share the marking criteria with your students. If they are struggling with the terminology, each unit has a list of criteria words with detailed explanation which should help.

Tip 5: page 3

Page 3 of the unit R039 provides key information for teachers. This is helpful and you should read it in conjunction with the specification. It is important to note that you are not allowed to modify or change the assignment unless stipulated in the brief. Don’t forget that each assignment is only valid for the academic year it was written for. Always check you are using the correct version and that you have not been using our sample assessment for a live series.

Tip 6: new set assignments 1 June

The new set assignments are released on 1 June each year and you can start teaching this and working on the assignment immediately. For example, year 10 students can start working on the released R039 on 1 June for submission by 15 May the following year. You don’t have to wait until September to teach this content.

Tip 7: design development

For Task 2, Manual production of freehand sketches: design development, the assessment guidance states that students are required to develop one design proposal further using rendering techniques to present in both 2D and 3D sketches. A page of these development designs, labelled and annotated, would be expected to be seen in the students’ NEA. Students are expected to explain how they designs meet the design specification provided.

Tip 8: engineering drawings

For Task 3, Production of engineering drawings, students are expected to draw a 3rd angle orthographic drawing of their design idea along with an assembly drawing. The required drawings can be produced by CAD drawing or using traditional hand techniques such as a drawing board. Students could always include extracted drawings for the CAD model later in the NEA to support their designs.

Tip 9: professional development opportunities

Sign up for any training offered on our website and on Teach Cambridge. These courses are a chance to ask questions, gain insight into the course requirements and find out key information. Courses are delivered by the subject advisor, principal moderator or principal examiners, and many of them are free. We are also offer face to face professional development which is an excellent way to network with teachers and build your own skills when moderating your students’ work.

Tip 10: make use of Teach Cambridge

Don’t forget to check out the materials offered to support your teaching on Teach Cambridge. Cambridge National in Engineering Design (J822) has a range of candidate-style resources for each unit which will help you understand the task content and assessment criteria.

Stay connected

Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any questions, you can email us at d&t@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or follow and tweet us @OCR_DesignTech. You can also sign up for email updates to receive information about resources and support.

If you are considering teaching this qualification, use the expression of interest form to let us know, so we can help you with more information. 

About the author

Liz joined the Design and Technology and Engineering subject advisor team in April 2022. Before joining OCR, she was head of a large department at her local secondary school where she taught Design and Technology alongside Engineering qualifications.