Before I came to the school I only really played football but since joining I've done skiing, water skiing and bastketball and loads of other sports. I love it. 
Design and Technology
The Design and Technology Department has recently received significant funding
to improve its facilities. This has resulted in the development of a new ICT
suite to join two fully equipped workshops and a food technology room.
The department is being transformed into a motivating and exciting environment, with a focus on aesthetics and technical creativity.
Pupils of all levels of ability are provided with a stimulating, interactive and challenging experience through both Key Stages 3 and 4.
Year 7 Activities and Projects
Above all, pupils learn the skill and knowledge to design what they can make and make what they can design. Thus experiencing the excitement and responsibility of being creative through their own design and making.
Introduction to Health and Safety – Pupils are given a thorough introduction to Health and Safety in the workshop and Food Technology room. This considers their personal behaviour alongside tool and machine safety.
Key Fob Project – Pupils follow the design process to make an acrylic keyfob which reflects their hobbies or interests. This initial project has a specific focus on health and safety and familiarises pupils with how to use workshop machinery.
Puppet Project – Pupils are asked to produce a play to promote a citizenship topic to Year 5 pupils. They design and make their own puppet to be used in the performance.
Food Technology – Having covered relevant health and safety issues, pupils are asked to develop a healthy eating sandwich. This project raises the awareness of healthy eating and helps pupils to identify nutritionally sound ingredients.
Year
8 Activities and Projects
Bridge and Business Game Project – This group work project is a competition to build the strongest bridge from pine sticks. Pupils are also required to develop a brand produce a range of promotional materials to promote their bridge company.
Nightlight Project – Pupils use CAD/CAM to produce a unique acrylic nightlight design. They solder a transistor circuit to illuminate the nightlight, which turns itself off and off dependant on the light level of its environment.
Food technology – Pupils design and make a school child’s lunchbox to be sold in a supermarket. They will consider the nutritional needs of their user group and develop a suitable solution.
Year 9 Activities and Projects
Box Project – Pupils construct a box from pine and manufactured boards. The box is joined using finger joints and pupils personalise the box with their own design for the lid.
Clock Project – Pupils are encouraged to work independently, following the design process to produce a clock face which supports the supplied mechanism. Pupils utilise CAD/CAM to design and cut vinyl numbers and decoration for their clocks.
Food Technology – Pupils develop an energy bar for a school pupil involved in sport. This project will involve pupils in writing questionnaires, undertaking product analysis and developing their own recipes.
Resistant Materials (AQA)
Why study this subject?
This course will encourage candidates to:
- demonstrate their design and technology skills by designing and making quality products
- analyse and evaluate products
- develop techniques through a variety of small projects
- use a range of strategies to develop ideas
- consider how past and present design and technology affects society
- recognise the moral, cultural and environmental issues surrounding design and technology today
What will you study?
Throughout Years 10 and 11 you will learn about the following things:
- Designing and making skills
- Properties and characteristics of materials – including wood, metal and plastics
- Developments in design and technology
- Design in practice
- Design and its impact on the environment
- Processes and manufacture – including CAD/CAM
In Year 10 the work is organised into a variety of modules involving ‘mini’ projects which will require you to demonstrate your designing and making skills. Surrounding these will be theory lessons to provide you with the necessary knowledge and understanding for this level of study. In Year 11, the majority of your lesson time will be spent working on and developing your major coursework project.
Product
Design (AQA)
This course is very similar in structure to that of the Resistant Materials course. Although it explores the use of wood, metal and plastics, it also looks at the use of card and paper for the production of design prototypes. Additionally, it encompasses elements of graphic based activities such as packaging and logo design.
In Year 11 pupils can choose to select their own area of focus for their coursework project from any of the areas they have learnt about in Year 10, allowing increased flexibility across a wider range of design disciplines. They can also choose between producing a working or appearance prototype allowing increased creativity.
With regard to theoretical content there is a greater emphasis on the evolution and analysis of products, the effect of human factors on design and design practice as opposed to some of the more technical elements that the Resistant Materials course offers.
Why study this subject?
A course based on this specification should encourage candidates to:
- show off their design and technology skills by designing and making quality products.
- analyse and evaluate products
- develop techniques through a variety of small projects
- use a range of strategies to develop ideas
- consider how past and present design and technology affects society
- recognise the moral, cultural and environmental issues surrounding design and technology today
What will you study?
Throughout years 10 and 11 you will learn about the following things:
- Designing and making skills
- Properties and characteristics of materials – card/paper, wood, metal and plastics
- Developments in design and technology
- Design in practice
- Design and its impact on the environment
- Processes and manufacture – including CAD/CAM
In year 10 the work is organised into a variety of modules including:
- Games console controller project
- Radio project
- Designer study
Around these ‘mini’ projects will be theory lessons to provide you with the necessary knowledge and understanding for this level of study. In Year 11, you will the majority of your lesson time working on and developing your major coursework.
Catering GCSE (WJEC)
This course is designed to give candidates an opportunity to extend and apply their skills and knowledge of the catering industry within a subject area. It will enable candidates to extend their design and technological capability in order to meet human needs and opportunities which have direct implications on the lifestyle and environment of all people. It will provide opportunities to develop interdisciplinary skills in all six key skills and their capability for imaginative, innovative thinking, creativity and independence relating to their personal interest. This specification provides progression, opportunities both directly into employment and to further learning opportunities within employment or to further study.
The specification will provide opportunities for candidates to develop their critical thinking and to manage a range of resources in order to develop products which are suited to the needs of individuals and of the catering industry, and to recognise the influence of current trends, the market economy and technological change. It will offer opportunities for candidates to develop an understanding of citizenship through the relevant issues of the subject. The course reflects the view that GCSE Catering should provide a variety of experiences whilst focusing on concepts, themes and issues relevant to the subject content.
It will concentrate on the main areas of food production and food service as an introduction to the catering industry. Candidates are expected to demonstrate their ability through the assessment objectives. It is considered desirable that candidates be provided with an opportunity for industrial experience or catering on a large scale as part of the course.
