Design and Technology

Curriculum Intent

‘Design and Technology students are creative problem- solvers, who can use their understanding of materials & processes to create working, sustainable outcomes’.

In Design and Technology pupils 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.

Through evaluation of past and present Design and Technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.

Design and Technology is offered as:

  • Core subject Years 7, 8 & 9
  • GCSE Option Years 10 & 11
  • IB Product Design Year 12 & 13

Key Stage 3 Design and Technology

Curriculum Overview

 Term 1Term 2Term 3Term 4Term 5Term 6
Year 7

Textiles Soft Toy

Food

Electronic Alarm

Metal & Timber Windchime

Textiles Soft Toy

Food

Electronic Alarm

Metal & Timber Windchime

Textiles Soft Toy

Food

Electronic Alarm

Metal & Timber Windchime

Textiles Soft Toy

Food

Electronic Alarm

Metal & Timber Windchime

Textiles Soft Toy

Food

Electronic Alarm

Metal & Timber Windchime

Textiles Soft Toy

Food

Electronic Alarm

Metal & Timber Windchime

Year 8

Textiles Pencil Case

Food

Mechanisms

OnShape CAD - Mobile Phone Holder

Textiles Pencil Case

Food

Mechanisms

OnShape CAD - Mobile Phone Holder

Textiles Pencil Case

Food

Mechanisms

OnShape CAD - Mobile Phone Holder

Textiles Pencil Case

Food

Mechanisms

OnShape CAD - Mobile Phone Holder

Textiles Pencil Case

Food

Mechanisms

OnShape CAD - Mobile Phone Holder

Textiles Pencil Case

Food

Mechanisms

OnShape CAD - Mobile Phone Holder

Year 9

Design Skills - Drawing Techniques

Timber Lanterns

Textiles Upcycling

Design Skills - Drawing Techniques

Timber Lanterns

Textiles Upcycling

Design Skills - Drawing Techniques

Timber Lanterns

Textiles Upcycling

Making

Design Skills - Drawing Techniques

Timber Lanterns

Textiles Upcycling

Design Skills - Drawing Techniques

Timber Lanterns

Textiles Upcycling

Design Skills - Drawing Techniques

Timber Lanterns

Textiles Upcycling

 

Year 7

Students receive one lesson per week; and rotate in 12 week blocks; to the following different Design and Technology areas. They will follow a ‘Cyclical Design Process’, to solve problems and produce a prototype or finished product; by exploring the following projects:

  • Textile Soft Toy
  • Metal and Timber Windchime
  • Electronic Alarm
  • Food

Students will use industry standard tools and machines therefore health and safety are of paramount importance and form a large part of year 7.

Drawing skills are essential, and therefore basic drawing techniques are introduced within each area of study.

Students will also learn about tools and correct tool usage, Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM).

Year 8

Students receive one lesson per week; and rotate in 12 week blocks; to the following different Design and Technology areas. They will follow a ‘Cyclical Design Process’, to solve problems and produce a prototype or finished product; by exploring the following projects:

  • Textile Pencil Case
  • Food
  • Mechanisms
  • Onshape CAD – Mobile Phone Holders

Students will build on their year 7 experiences with a more complex range of problems to solve.

Year 9

Students receive one lesson per week; and rotate in 12 week blocks; to the following different Design and Technology areas. They will follow a ‘Cyclical Design Process’, to solve problems and produce a prototype or finished product; by exploring the following projects:

  • Design Skills – Drawing Techniques
  • Timber Lantern Project
  • Textiles Upcycle Project

Students carry out mini contextual challenges, to prepare them for the GCSE coursework NEA (Non-Examined Assessment), if they choose to take the subject.

Assessment

Design and Technology is a practical subject and, alongside the school assessment guidelines assessments will be made of the pupils’ practical and theoretical skills as we move through the year. Frequent constructive verbal feedback will be given to pupils throughout lessons from the teacher and through peer assessment.

The practical and evaluative skills learnt throughout KS3 are used within the KS4 curriculum and beyond.

Further Reading/Resources

Key Stage 4 Design and Technology

Curriculum Overview

Students at Key Stage 4 have two periods a week studying the Pearson/ Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology qualification.

 Term 1Term 2Term 3Term 4Term 5Term 6
Year 10CORE THEORYCORE THEORYCORE THEORYSpecialist Materials TheorySpecialist Materials TheorySpecialist Materials Theory / Start NEA Coursework 1st June
Year 11NEA CourseworkNEA CourseworkNEA CourseworkRevisionRevision 

 

 

 

Year 10

In Year 10 students undertake the study of the CORE section of theory. This makes up the content of Section A of the examination and covers a basic knowledge in the following areas of Design & Technology:

  • Metals
  • Papers & Boards
  • Polymers
  • Systems
  • Fibres & Textiles
  • Timbers

Students carry out mini contextual challenges, to prepare them for the following coursework NEA (Non-Examined Assessment).  Year 10 students choose which Design & Technology area to specialise in for the answering of the examinations Section B questions.  Students study their chosen material area in greater detail and carry out various practical tasks to embed their understanding of the materials characteristics and properties.  Year 10 students start their NEA coursework (Non-Examined Assessment), on the 1st of June following the release of given titles into which their prototyped product must belong.

Year 11

Year 11 students will complete their NEA coursework by the end of March, to allow for revision of both the CORE and Specialist Materials Theory.

 Assessment at GCSE

EXAMINATION: Students will complete a 1 hour 45 minute examination at the end of Year 11;  which makes up 50% of their overall grade.

Section A of the examination consists of questions relating to 1.1 – 1.17 CORE THEORY knowledge. Section B of the examination consists of questions relating to the specialist subject area the student has chosen (Timbers, Textiles, Polymers, Systems, Metals or Papers & Boards).

NEA (Non – Examined Assessment): Students will carry out a ‘Contextual Challenge’, based on titles given to them in the June of Year 10. Students must complete their coursework by the April of Year 11.

Further Reading/Resources

Key Stage 5 IB Product Design

Curriculum Overview

Students at Key Stage 5 follow the IB Product Design course as part of the IB Diploma.

 Term 1Term 2Term 3Term 4Term 5Term 6
Year 12Innovation and Design (CORE 5)

 

Modelling (CORE 3)

Innovation & Markets (AHL 9)

 

 

Human Factors & Ergonomics (CORE 1)

 

Modelling (CORE 3)

User-Centred Design (AHL 7)

Modelling (CORE 3)

 

Final Production (CORE 4)

Commercial Production (AHL 10)

Innovation & Markets (AHL 9)

Start ‘Individual Design Project’

Final Production (CORE 4)

 

User-Centred Design (AHL 7)

Innovation & Markets (AHL 9)

 

Resource Management & Sustainable Production (CORE 2)

 

Sustainability (AHL 8)

Resource Management & Sustainable Production (CORE 2)

 

Sustainability (AHL 8)

Year 13Group 4 ProjectResource Management & Sustainable Production (CORE 2)

 

Innovation & Markets (AHL 9)

Commercial Production (AHL 10)

 

Classic Design (CORE 6)

 

Commercial Production (AHL 10)

 

   

 

Year 12

In Year 12, students will explore the CORE Theory for both Standard and Higher Level:

Core

  1. Human factors and ergonomics
  2. Resource management and sustainable production
  3. Modelling
  4. Final production
  5. Innovation and design
  6. Classic design

In addition, the Higher Level students will investigate the following elements:

Additional Higher Level (AHL)

  1. User-centred design (UCD)
  2. Sustainability
  3. Innovation and markets
  4. Commercial production

Both Standard and Higher Level students will begin their ‘Individual Design Projects’ during Term 3 of Year 12, which needs to be completed by Term 3 of Year 13.

Year 13

In Year 13, students continue to explore the CORE Theory for both Standard and Higher Level and any additional Higher Level Theory.

In Term 1 of Year 13, students will carry out a ‘Group 4 Project’:  The emphasis throughout this project is group work. Working collaboratively in a team requires a certain amount of self-awareness and empathy with the other team members, as well as a high level of communication and motivation.

Assessment at IB

Standard LevelHigher Level
External Assessment

 

Paper 1 – 1 Hour – 30%

Multiple-choice questions on core and HL extension material.

Paper 2 – 1.5 Hours – 30%

Data based, short-answer, and extended-response questions on core material.

 

 

External Assessment

 

Paper 1 – 1 Hour – 20%

Multiple-choice questions on core and HL extension material.

Paper 2 – 1.5 Hours – 20%

Data based, short-answer, and extended-response questions on core material.

Paper 3 – 1.5 Hours – 20%

Structured questions on HL extension material.

Internal Assessment

 

Individual Design Project – 40 Hours – 40%

All standard and higher level students complete a design project as an internal assessment task. This design project allows them to demonstrate their investigative, analytical, design thinking, design development, prototyping, testing and evaluation skills and mirrors the design processes used across the various industries that integrate design practice. Internal assessment accounts for 40% of the final assessment.

At SL, the design project requires students to identify a problem and develop a solution. It is assessed against four common criteria:

  • Analysis of a design opportunity
  • Conceptual design
  • Development of a detailed design
  • Testing and evaluation
Internal Assessment

 

Individual Design Project – 60 Hours – 40%

All standard and higher level students complete a design project as an internal assessment task. This design project allows them to demonstrate their investigative, analytical, design thinking, design development, prototyping, testing and evaluation skills and mirrors the design processes used across the various industries that integrate design practice. Internal assessment accounts for 40% of the final assessment.

At HL, the design project is extended to include aspects of innovation. The design project is assessed against two additional criteria:

  • Detailed development of a commercial product
  • Making choices for commercial production

 

Further Reading/Resources

 

British Values:

British Values in Design and Technology

Democracy: Students democratically work together, in lower school KS3 classes, they demonstrate a great deal of group work and sharing of decision making.

Rule of law: We research and look at International and European Law, in the use of trademarks, patents, copyright……. We also study safety standards e.g. BSI (British Standards Institute) / Kitemark and EU Certification.

Individual Liberty: We encourages students to have a great deal of ‘Self Responsibility’, in the safe use of machines and tools. Students have to respect each other and their working environment.

Mutual respect: Design Technology students, are encouraged to have mutual respect of each others work and designs, through peer assessment and group analysis of work. This also links to the next statement, thinking about different beliefs and cultures, which is part of our GCSE syllabus.

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs: Awareness of other cultural beliefs and styles can be incorporated into the design of products. Students are asked to research other cultures as part of their GCSE CORE theory, where students need to consider social, ethical and cultural issues, within designing and making.