Design Technology

In Year 7 students are taught the health and safety rules of the workshops. They develop their designing skills and learn how to present their ideas on paper using isometric projection and adding tone and colour to enhance drawings. Students design and make a key ring and design and make an acrylic fridge magnet using the computer controlled laser cutter. Students also make a product in wood and complete a written project, and learn how to produce a set of production instructions. 

In Year 8 students design and make a mechanical toy, a board game while extending their capability with the use of CAD adding components designed and cut using the laser cutter. They also design and make cast pewter products learning about batch production and the use of moulds. Some students will also complete a project looking a simple electronics and soldering. These projects build on the skills learnt in Year 7. Homeworks are designed to reinforce understanding.

During Year 9 students design and make a clock using more than one material. This is a full design project based on the work of an artist or an artistic movement. Students are expected to combine their knowledge and understanding of the working properties of materials and their understanding of making products for a client group to produce a high quality product. Students also learn the importance of modelling a prototype and build on their communication skills through a range of media.

Students have the choice of developing their designing and making skills by opting to study Design and Technology further to GCSE level. The GCSE courses available are AQA Food and Nutrition and AQA Design and Technology.

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course which focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure students develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students’ practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition.

Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:

Food, nutrition and health

Food science

Food safety

Food choice

Food provenance

Upon completion of this course, students will be qualified to go on to further study, or embark on an apprenticeship or full time career in the catering or food industries.

GCSE Design and Technology will prepare students to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world. Students will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and Technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Students will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise.

This GCSE allows students to study core technical and designing and making principles, including a broad range of design processes, materials techniques and equipment. They will also have the opportunity to study specialist technical principles in greater depth.

You can find out about all our Design and Technology qualifications at aqa.org.uk/designandtechnology

Exam board Edexcel

This course aims to build on and develop the designing and making skills developed at GCSE Resistant materials or Graphic Products. Designers, processes, materials and manufacturing processes are looked at in some detail and students develop their designing and making capability through project work.

Year 12

Students are taught material properties, woods, metals, plastics, composites and smart materials and produce a portfolio of creative skills. This consists of three discrete projects that demonstrate designing skills, analytical skills and making capability

Autumn  term.  Materials theory, portfolio task 1  designing task. Portfolio task 2 product analysis task

Spring  term.  Portfolio making task. Theory

Summer  term. Start of A2 topics and introduction to main project

Year 13

By using the skills developed in year 12, students complete a major coursework project. This will include product analysis, development and testing and liasing with a client to produce a product that meets the clients specification. Students can, with guidance, design and make a project of their choice. The coursework is worth 50% of the A level grade. Alongside the project students will be taught further exam topics to widen their understanding and prepare for the 2 hour written exam