We encourage our students to develop their understanding of Design & Technology through designing and making sustainable products for clients. We also encourage them to be sustainable consumers and to share these ideas at home. Our D&T curriculum has been designed to give learning experiences that are beyond the NC around the area of sustainability. This will prepare them for further study at KS5 (A level or BTEC) or prepare them for the world of work including modern apprenticeships in the creative, engineering and manufacturing sector.
Each lesson or series of lessons will have an Aim or a Learning Objective (LO), the teacher needs to know what the LO is, and be able to measure the progress towards each Aim or L.O. They may be put on the board or given verbally at the start of each lesson. Students need to be reminded what they are going to learn each lesson and reminded of the compelling leaning that is appropriate. We think this will prepare them to be better consumers for the rest of their life. And think about how D&T can impact on broader issues e.g. climate change.
Designing - Students will develop and communicate design ideas for a client using annotated sketches, plans, 3D models and computer aided design. Imaginative and creative designs will have been generated. Detailed development work will be evident (including CAD where appropriate) to develop prototypes. Appropriate materials will have been selected and justified with good research into their working properties.
Making - Students will select from and use specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment, and machinery precisely, to make prototypes including computer aided manufacture. Prototype will show a high level of making skills (including using CAM when appropriate) that are appropriate for the desired outcome. The outcome will be complete, accurate and function as intended. A high level of quality control will be evident to ensure the prototype is accurate by consistently applying very close tolerances. The correct tools, materials and equipment will have been chosen and used: independently, accurately, safely, and consistently with a very good level of skill.
Knowledge/understanding - Students will develop D&T knowledge and understanding of technology principles to design and make sustainable, functional prototypes. They will also become better more aware consumers. When designing and making students will have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of Design & Technology principles in particular sustainable design and have considered the environmental, social and economic impacts from the initial phase through to the end of life including Recycle, reuse, reduce, refuse, rethink and repair. Students will be given a range of ways to show the knowledge and understanding including tests, their workbooks, power point presentation and presenting to the teach and peers.
We aim to develop our students into well informed sustainable designers who can use a range of tools, equipment and machinery including CAD/CAM to design and make products. We also encourage them to buy and use sustainable products at home. We also develop their designing skills using TechSoft 2D design and develop their making skill using the laser cutter. We also introduce them to health and safety and encourage them to work safely not just at school but at home. They are also introduced to a wide range of cross curricular skills e.g., problem solving, critical thinking, sharing ideas, evaluating and all aspects of compelling leaning.
We develop student ability to design and make products and develop their love of designing and making. We encourage our students to design and make using sustainable materials and we also encourage them to buy and use more sustainable products. Student will have diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the project using a range of criteria e.g. reading age, prior attainment etc. They will then have ongoing formative assessment looking at their workbook, compelling learning, their making in the workshop, their designs (when relevant) and their homework. The ongoing formative assessment takes account the compelling learning behaviours e.g. identifying mistake, learning from mistakes, not afraid to make mistake, keep going when its hard and best effort and attitude. In their summative assessments they will be given an overall mark/grade which will identify if they are at their Age-Related Expectation and their EiC grade.
At KS4 develop their skills they leant at KS3 and prepare them for their Non Examination Assessment (NEA) by designing and making products, we also have a range of practical projects ere they develop their making skills. Knowledge and understanding in integrated into these mini projects and they are set regular homework to reinforce their learning.
We use AQA exam board D&T, this suits our students as it based the NEA concentrates on the quality designing and making. Head of Faculty is an examiner/moderator for AQA.
In year 10 we have mini projects that build on the knowledge and understanding form KS3, they have workbooks to complete and a range of short tests. Year 11 we undertake the exam boards NEA task, we try to use the one that links to our local community as much as possible. We use AQA Assessment Objectives to assess their designing and making.