Design and Technology - Our Curriculum
Remove (Year 7)
In Remove students study Workshop Safety and develop a range of small practical projects. The skills that are developed give the pupils confidence in using a wide range of hand tools and machines for working wood and plastic including ways of cutting, shaping and joining materials. They also develop an understanding of CAD/CAM using TinkerCAD software. Throughout the year the pupils also take part in the Food Technology rotation in The Ellershaw Centre.
Lower Four (Year 8)
In Lower Four students study drawing and presentation techniques and develop and make a mixed material project using wood, metal and plastics. Students also undertake a project using metal casting and develop a graphic marketing project. Food Technology is also on the rotation and the pupils continue to develop their independence and skills.
Upper Four (Year 9)
In Upper Four students work on projects to develop skills learnt lower down in the school. Students make a Bauhaus or Memphis themed product and even work with precious metals. They also continue to develop their CAD-CAM skills using SolidWorks CAD software. They also study a miniature architecture project designing and making a scale model of their ideal house design and layout.
GCSE: Lower Five and Upper Five (Year 10 & 11)
In Lower Five students complete projects where they learn about skills such as prototyping and batch production techniques. These projects will vary from year to year however will be based on using wood, metal and plastics to develop a wide range of challenging projects. From Easter in Lower Five, and throughout Upper Five, students work on their chosen major project producing a design folder and practical project of their choice. This provides 50% of their final GCSE examination marks.
A-level: Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth (Year 12 & 13)
In Lower Sixth students develop their drawing and presentation skills in a Product Analysis project looking at ways to improve an everyday product. Modelling skills are also developed to test and evaluate a range of prototypes. A lighting project develops aesthetic skills and a knowledge of working with a wide range of new materials. A link with the James Dyson Foundation creates a project that allows students to work on real production products and find out about design and engineering in the real world. In Upper Sixth the students choose a topic to design and develop into a prototype. Working closely with a client they thoroughly research the topic, produce a range of concepts and make test models. The final design is then thoroughly tested and evaluated, and improvements suggested. The course is ideal for future engineers, architects and designers and develops a wide range of creative thinking skills.
Exam boards
Cambridge iGCSE Design and Technology
Edexcel A Level DT – Product Design
