Design Technology Department

What is DT and why do we do it?

We aim to prepare our students today to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. Creative thinking also encourages students to make positive changes to their quality of life.

Design Technology encourages students to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities, and to respond by developing ideas – eventually making products and systems to address those needs and opportunities.

Design Technology ensures that the practical applications of mathematical and scientific concepts are combined with the practical technology skills; and an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, together with industrial practices, can be gained. This allows students to reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and its impacts. We hope that the study of Design Technology helps all students to become discriminating and informed consumers and potential innovators of the future.

Design Technology KS3 Curriculum Topics

	Autumn Term 1	Autumn Term 2	Spring Term 1	Spring Term 2	Summer Term 1	Summer Term 2
Year 7	Night light project. Product specification and brief	Night light project. Health and Safety in the workshop and practical work.	Night light project. Health and Safety in the workshop and practical work.	Night light project. Electric components and soldering	Night light project. Electric components and soldering. Creating a high quality finish using machinery.	Night light project. Creating a high quality finish using machinery and materials. Night light assembly and evaluation.
Year 8	Bottle Opener Project. Working and isometric drawings. Metal theory.	Bottle Opener Project. Health and safety and knowledge of tools and workshop machinery	Bottle Opener Project. Using tools to measure and make accurately	Bottle Opener Project. Using tools to measure and make accurately. Begin making.	Bottle Opener Project. Continue making	Bottle Opener Project. Working with metal and wood, theory and assembly of bottle opener. Evaluate
Year 9	Jewellery Project. Design movements. Project brief and reseach	Jewellery Project. Iterative design ideas reflecting prior research and theory of available materials for laser cutter.	Jewellery Project. Development of design ideas with annotation.	Jewellery Project. Computer Aided Design skills and application	Jewellery Project. Computer Aided Design skills and application	Jewellery Project. construction of jewlery and evaluation.

Design Technology KS4 Curriculum Topics

	Autumn Term 1	Autumn Term 2	Spring Term 1	Spring Term 2	Summer Term 1	Summer Term 2
Year 10	Theory plus designing and making skills - Metals	Theory plus designing and making skills - Woods	Theory plus designing and making skills - Plastics	Theory plus designing and making skills - Papers and Boards	Core Theory	NEA project starts
Year 11	NEA	NEA	NEA	Exam Prep-Theory	Exam Prep-Theory	Exam Prep-Theory