Design & Technology

Welcome

Design & Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject where students use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. Students also learn theory elements of Design & Technology through the products they produce and the content that is covered.

A committed team of subject specialists deliver imaginative lessons encouraging students to succeed in Design & Technology and realise their full potential. Many students opt to follow a Design & Technology subject at GCSE and A-Level and then go on to pursue a career or university based courses in one of the many fields of design or engineering.

Key Staff

Mr Heaslewood – Head of Department
Ms Catanach - Head of Food Technology
Mrs Pashen - 2nd in Department; Teacher of Technology
Miss Ismail - 2nd in Department; Teacher of Technology
Ms Mahmood - Teacher of Technology
Mrs Browning - D&T Technician
Miss Smith - C&N Technician

Key Stage 3

Curriculum Intent

Design & Technology aims to develop mindful confident students who have excellent practical skills, technical knowledge and are equipped to independently prepare healthy nutritional dishes.

At Key Stage 3 students follow a scheme of work developed by the department to deliver the national curriculum and enable them to select a Design & Technology option at the end of the Key Stage.
Students are taught to design, make, evaluate, practise their skills and develop their technical knowledge in the full range of Design & Technology contexts, including:

In Design & Technology (D&T) students are taught using an iterative design process to design innovative, functional and appealing products. They are taught to select and use specialist tools, techniques and processes, choosing from a wide range of materials and components.

In Cooking & Nutrition (C&N) students are taught to understand and apply the principles of health and nutrition, to cook a range of savoury dishes to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet and to understand the sources, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Map

Summary Curriculum Plans

Key Stage 4

Curriculum Intent

At Key Stage 4 Design & Technology aims to develop mindful confident students who have excellent practical skills, technical knowledge and are equipped to succeed in the next step of their educational path.

Students can choose from a wide range of Design & Technology subjects:

Engineering

This course is ideal for students who want to study engineering from the design and planning perspective. It provides learners with a broad introduction to the engineering sector and the types of career opportunities available. It is a vocational hands-on course aimed at developing core skills in making high-quality products. During the course, students will have the opportunity to develop traditional skills and also use modern technology practices (laser cutting, 3D printing). 60% controlled assessment; 40% examination

Product Design

This course emphasises a practical approach to designing, making and evaluating products that meet real-life needs using a graphical presentation and modelling techniques. The following areas build the basis for the Product Design course: Core Knowledge, Technical Knowledge, and Designing & Making principles. In Year 10, a wide range of presentation and modelling techniques are taught to extend pupils’ practical skills. These techniques include freehand sketching, isometric drawing, 1 and 2-point perspective, orthographic drawing, form shading and textures. Considerable time is also spent on computer graphics, CAD and 3D model making. 50% controlled assessment; 50% written examination

Hospitality and Catering

This course is ideal for students who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study in one of the largest industries in the country.
It is a practical-led course where students will gain various skills in problem-solving, researching, presentation, teamwork and the preparation and delivery of professional food. 60% controlled assessment; 40% examination

Summary Curriculum Plans

Key Stage 5

Curriculum Intent

At Key Stage 5 Design & Technology aims to further develop confident students who have excellent practical skills, technical knowledge and are equipped to succeed in the next step of their educational path or pursue a career in one of the many fields of design or engineering.

At A-Level, students can opt to study Product Design. The new D&T Product Design course is an Edexcel A-Level course.

A general overview of the course is that they will prepare students with design skills for the future and should equip students with current skills in recognising the design needs of other people and developing an understanding of how current global issues, including integrating technology, impact on today’s world.

This is a two-year course: coursework 50% and a written theory exam 50%

The theory paper(s) will include open- and short-ended questions as well as extended writing questions testing the students’ knowledge of materials, product analysis, health and safety, and the wider impacts of design and industrial and commercial practice. The theory paper(s) will include a 15% mathematical element.

Future opportunities

Students who complete this course will gain skills that are useful in a wide range of jobs, in further study of design and in their personal lives (including decision-making skills and the planning and organisation of time and resources). Typical university and career aspirations from this course include and are not limited to product design, engineering, architecture, graphic design, furniture design, industrial design, theatrical set design, interior design, materials engineering, advertising design, exhibition design, and engineering design.

Summary Curriculum Plans

Homework Intent

To reinforce learning within the classroom and to provide students with the opportunity for independent learning through research-based tasks.

Inclusion

It is our intent that pupils with special educational needs/disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum, learn alongside their peers and achieve similar outcomes.

In addition, they may benefit from additional opportunities in the lessons and in the co-curricular activities that are arranged especially for them.

SEND Implementation and Impact

Pupil Premium Intent

Literacy

Reading Aims:

To ensure students are equipped to understand key terms/words in questions.
To ensure students are aware of using a range of independent reading strategies to aid comprehension when reading.
To support students in understanding subject-specific vocabulary that they encounter in their reading.
To encourage students to read for pleasure outside of the lessons (further reading, magazines, recipes, cook books, online blogs, news).

Writing aims:

To ensure students are equipped with strategies to construct their answers.
To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent strategies to enable them to plan their answers carefully.
To equip students with strategies to reflect on and redraft their writing.
To explicitly teach the spelling of keywords used in Design & Technology.

Spoken Language Aims:

To ensure students are equipped to use a range of vocabulary as well as subject-specific vocabulary in their spoken language.
To support students in using spoken Standard English.
To teach students how to listen and respond formally.
To provide students with opportunities for structured talk.

Literacy Strategies

Co-Curricular

In Year 7, we currently offer an hour every other week after school to develop their cooking techniques further. We like to try out new recipes such as homemade pop tarts, oven-baked churros, Chelsea buns, cookies, cupcakes and many more. The idea is to encourage students to be adventurous, build confidence, meet other students and have fun!

In Years 8 and 9, students can attend cooking master classes where they will learn more skilful techniques that they may not normally have the opportunity to try due to time constraints. They get to experience techniques such as making puff pastry, pasta making meringues, to name a few. All students of all abilities are welcome to sign up.

In Key Stage 5 there is a trip to London to visit the Design Museum and the V&A.