Technology & Design Department

Technology & Design

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General Aims

The aim of the Technology and Design Department is to enable all pupils to become confident and responsible in solving real life problems in the rapidly changing world they live in, striving for creative solutions, independent learning, product excellence and social consciousness.

Specific Aims

The Technology and Design department aims to:

  • Develop, through active learning, pupils' understanding of Technology and Design;
  • Develop pupils' abilities to identify and respond to needs and opportunities;
  • Involve pupils in purposeful design activities resulting in the development of a product;
  • Promote the ability in pupils to communicate information and ideas through a variety of media;
  • Equip pupils with Technology and Design skills to enable them to cope with and respond more effectively to an increasingly technological society;
  • Enable pupils to appreciate the importance of technology and design in society.
  • Raise pupils' awareness of the implications of technology and design decisions on society and the environment;

Curriculum

KS3

In year 8, 9, &10 the subject content is delivered through design and manufacture projects, where pupils will experience areas such as product design, electronics, mechanisms, computer control, computer aided design, materials and workshop skills.
Key Stage 3 pupils have a provision of three, fifty minute periods a fortnight.  Pupil projects are as follows;

Year 8
Year 8 Challenge (product design), Mini-Light (electronics),Clipboard project ( Materials), Picture Mechanism project (mechanism)

Year 9
Mobile Phone Stand (product design), Shaky Hand Game (electronics), Novelty Coat Hanger (mechanisms)

Year 10
The Pods Project (product design), Night Light Project (electronics). In addition pupils will also entered for the ICT Accreditation Level 6 and Crest Awards Certificates.

KS4

At Key Stage 4 (GCSE) Technology and Design is a popular choice with pupils where they experience:

  • A personal design and manufacture project, developing a fully functional prototype product.
  • Focused tasks in Computer Aided Design and Product Design.

These elements of practical coursework make up 60% of the GCSE enabling pupils to build a portfolio of work over the 2 year course. The theory element 40% develops pupils understanding of the principles of design, how technological products function and awareness of materials and industrial processes.

At A Level the pupils build on the broad Technology and Design experiences gained at Key stage 4, AS and A2 Level courses are sub divided into practical and theory modules. Details are as follows

AS

Unit 1: Product Design and Practice.
This unit emphasises the processes of design, manufacture and marketing of products. This theory element is studied through case studies.

Unit 2: Coursework: Product Development.
The emphasis in this unit is on the analysis of an existing product or system with a view to developing either the product or system itself, or an aspect of it. The pupil is required to re-design an everyday technological product and manufacture a prototype.

Unit 3: Systems and Control: Industrial and Commercial Practices.
This unit emphasises the process of designing systems for incorporation in products. Pupils will study mechanical, pneumatic and electronic components and systems

A2

Unit 4:   Coursework: In depth study: Designing
Pupils will be required to identify a problem or need and then design a technological product or system as a solution. The pupils will produce a design portfolio for this module.

Unit 5:   Coursework :Making
This module is primarily concerned with the Manufacturing, testing and evaluation of the product or system developed in Unit 4 Designing.

Unit 6: Systems and Control
The examination in this unit will act as the major synoptic element. Questions will draw on the knowledge and skills acquired in the other units.

Resources

The Technology and Design Department has two systems rooms (designing rooms) equipped with thirty two state of art computer aided design PC's with the latest industrial packages. We also have two fully equipped workshops with traditional and computer control machines, these rooms are joined with a planning room and foyer area.

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