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Design & Technology

In design and technology students combine practical and technological skills with creative thinking to design and make products and systems that meet human needs. They learn to use current technologies and consider the impact of future technological developments. They learn to think creatively and intervene to improve the quality of life, solving problems as individuals and members of a team.

Working in stimulating contexts that provide a range of opportunities and draw on the local ethos, community and wider world, students identify needs and opportunities. They respond with ideas, products and systems, challenging expectations where appropriate. They combine practical and intellectual skills with an understanding of aesthetic, technical, cultural, health, social, emotional, economic, industrial and environmental issues. As they do so, they evaluate present and past design and technology, and its uses and effects. Through design and technology students develop confidence in using practical skills and become discriminating users of products. They apply their creative thinking and learn to innovate.

 

Curriculum Aims

Learning and undertaking activities in design and technology contribute to achievement of the curriculum aims for all young people to become:

  • successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
  • confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
  • responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

 

Years 7 & 8

Students across all technology disciplines are encouraged to increase their designing and practical making skills - possibly in preparation for taking a GCSE or vocational subject in this department. To those students who choose not to follow a GCSE in this department, they will still benefit from learning problem solving and practical real life skills. Students are encouraged to develop designing skills, develop and practise new practical skills, explore their creativity, new techniques and technologies and to learn how products are designed and made. 

 

Year 9 -11 OPTIONS WITHIN D & T

Students option subjects for 2020.

  • GCSE Design Technology (AQA)
  • Vocational Engineering Level 1/2 (WJEC)
  • GCSE Food & Nutrition (WJEC Eduqas)


Grouping

Students are taught in mixed ability groups on a rotation across the D & T disciplines Resistant Materials, Electronics and Food.

 

Staffing

Jamie Pearce - Subject Learning Leader for Design & Technology

Adam Green

Martin Hawker 

Mike Evans

Toby May

Rod Inglis - Technology Workshop Technician

Bev Warren - Food Technician

Homework

Homework is set in each discipline to support and augment the learning in the classroom. The nature of homework tasks will vary according to the discipline and year group.
 

Homework tasks will normally fall into one of the following categories.

  • Research tasks: Students may be asked to research the current topic to gain background knowledge and broaden their understanding of the subject.
  • Questions: To test their knowledge and understanding of materials, processes, tools and equipment. To practice and prepare for exam type questions.
  • Planning: To sequence and prepare activities associated with practical making tasks, taking into consideration safe working practices and correct selection of tools and equipment.
  • Analysis and Evaluation: Students may be asked to examine and analyse existing products – a key part of a designer’s role.   


Revision: As students approach key exam dates, internal and external they will be set revision activities using a range of resources available, to familiarise themselves with the range and format of examinations.

Assessment

In Year 7 & 8 End of rotation, grades are awarded for the outcome of individual project work across each discipline. Across the department, during the delivery of each topic, teachers use continuous and rigorous verbal feedback to help each student hone skills, improve subject knowledge and develop confidence. 

In Year 9 – 11 Assessment is based on various activities undertaken according to each discipline. The teacher projected grades awarded at reporting cycles will be 1-9 for GCSE students in Food and D & T, and pass/ merit / distinction in Vocational Engineering.

GCSE Design & Technology

GCSE Design Technology (AQA)

GCSE Design and Technology covers a wide range of activities based on designing and making products that are manufactured a wide range of materials. As well as learning hand skills, students will use a range of industrial processes to shape and form materials into functioning products. Over the course of two years students will develop a whole range of creative designing and making skills, technical knowledge and understanding relating to the world of Design and Manufacture and invaluable transferable skills such as problem solving and time management. This area of study focuses on designing and making, using different materials and techniques. 

Assessment at the examination stage takes place through a controlled assessment task worth 50% of the overall grade and a written examination also worth 50%. All non-examinable assessment work is internally assessed and externally moderated. We aim to make the subject as close to the real world as we can. Students will have the opportunity to create their own design brief based on the contextual themes set by the examination board in June of each year; this encourages them to work independently and produce exciting and innovative products. As part of the making process, students learn traditional methods of communicating design through hand drawings and 3D prototype models. Students then progress to specialised 2D & 3D ICT design packages to cover CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacture). By the end of the course, students should have a sound knowledge of theory, a coursework folio and practical prototypes that they can be proud of.

The course prepares students to design and make creative products for an end user using a range of materials, such as: wood, metal and plastic, man-made boards, and card. Prototypes and models may be crafted by hand, using manual machines or with CAD/CAM such as the school laser cutter with the aim of producing high-quality outcomes.

Vocational Award Engineering Level 1/2 (WJEC)

The Engineering specification provides learners with a more practical alternative to GCSE study. This qualification introduces students to the various strands available within the engineering field. Providing students with the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and understanding through tasks set in realistic work-related contexts. 

 

This qualification shows you how to:

  • Develop a broad understanding of the engineering sector
  • Use hand tools, machine tools and equipment
  • Learn different engineering drawing techniques
  • Re-design products
  • Perform a range of techniques and processes using selected materials
  • Manufacture an engineered product

 

You will develop following knowledge and skills:

  • skills required for independent learning
  • the ability to problem solve
  • the skills of project based research, development and presentation
  • the ability to apply learning in vocational contexts
  • skills in preparing and reading engineering drawings
  • skills in measuring and associated maths
  • skills in electronics
  • skills in using hand tools, machine tools and equipment
  • skills in selecting and preparing engineering materials
  • communication skills

 

ASSESSMENT

Students will be assessed in three units:

  • Unit 1 – Engineering design – Internally assessed -30 guided learning hours. (Re designing an engineered product)
  • Unit 2 Producing engineering products – internally assessed - 60 guided learning hours (Making an engineered product from drawings supplied)
  • Unit 3 Solving Engineering Problems 30 guided learning hours leading to final 1.5 hour exam (Externally assessed)

GCSE Food & Nutrition

FOOD & NUTRITION GCSE (WJEC/Eduqas)

The WJEC Eduqas GCSE in Food Preparation and Nutrition equips learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. It encourages learners to cook, enables them to make informed decisions about food and nutrition and allows them to acquire knowledge in order to be able to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life. 

 

Students will:

 

  • Work with varied and interesting ingredients to create diverse, well presented and tasty dishes.
  • Gain an understanding of the impact of food choices and food production in the wider world: economic, environmental and social/cultural. 

·               Learn about food function, handling and food safety. 

 

Develop an understanding of food science & the functional properties of food. 

  • Gain a greater understanding of nutrition, diet and its relation to good physical and psychological health. 
  • Develop a range of transferable life skills such as independent working, team work, problem solving and reflecting. 
  • Strong links with other core subjects e.g. English, Maths & Science, Geography, P.E, Beliefs and values, Citizenship & D&T; building a strong platform for a range of future careers. 

 

There will be one written exam on the Principles of Food Preparation and Nutrition of 1 hour 45 min in length worth 50% of final mark. 

 

There are also 2 controlled assessments which will count towards your final grade, worth 50% of the final mark: 

 

1. Food Preparation 

A scientific food investigation which will assess the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to scientific principles underlying the preparation and cooking of food. 

 

2. Nutrition in Action 

Prepare, cook and present a menu which assesses the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking and presentation of food. 

Students should: 

  • be prepared to cook and possibly supply food ingredients regularly (every week) 
  • be able to work hard and enjoy making exciting food dishes whilst finding out useful information to keep them healthy throughout their lives 
Subject Documents Date  
DT Year 7 Curriculum Overview 14th May 2020 Download
DT Year 8 Curriculum Overview 14th May 2020 Download
Year 9 10 11 ENGINEERING Curriculum Overview 14th May 2020 Download
DT GCSE Curriculum Overview 14th May 2020 Download