Curriculum

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

| Education | Curriculum | Design & Technology
Design and technology is part of everyday life and is constantly evolving. Our curriculum focuses on developing practical skills within a particular material area, allowing pupils to learn about industry standards and manufacture products with high quality outcomes. Pupils learn about commercial processes and careers in related industries, as well as developing core transferable skills, such as collaboration and communication. Pupils will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Pupils will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing, making and apply technical and practical expertise.
Design & Technology at KS3
Year 7 Year 8
Year 7 will be following an Art and Design curriculum and elements of Design and Technology will be incorporated into the schemes of learning/projects. Year 8 will be following an Art and Design curriculum and elements of Design and Technology will be incorporated into the schemes of learning/projects.
Assessment

Formal Assessment takes place at the end of each Half-Term.

Design & Technology at KS4 (GCSE)
Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
  • Project 1: Health and Safety – Tools and Equipment: competencies on hand and machine tools.
  • Project 2: Wood Joining Techniques
  • Project 3: Decoration Techniques
  • Project 4: Box Project
  • Project 5: Graphics: Graphical techniques: 1 and 2 point
    perspective, isometric drawing, colour theory, texture,
    orthographic drawing.
  • Project 6: Recycling Project: Bird box
  • Project 7: Pewter Casting
  • Project 1: Mechanisms
  • Project 2: Salt and Pepper shakers – mixed media
  • Project 3: Shaping an Forming Plastic
  • June NEA – Controlled Assessment start
  • NEA  – Controlled Assessment: Development, Making, Testing and Evaluation
  • Exam Revision: Materials and Components, New materials,
    Manipulating and combining materials
  • Design and Marketing Influences, Design Methodology,
    Design in Practice, Human Factors, Ethical, environmental
    and sustainability issues, Consumer issues.
  • Processes and Manufacture
Assessment

Examination Board: AQA

Written Paper
Overview Focus
  • Written exam (2 hours)
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE
 Candidates answer all questions in three sections:

Section A: Core Technical Principles (20 Marks) – A mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions assessing a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding.

Section B: Specialist Technical Principles (30 Marks) – Several short answer questions and one extended response to assess a more in depth knowledge of technical principles.

Section C: Designing and Making Principles (50 Marks) – A mixture of short answer and extended response questions.
Non-Exam Assessment
Overview Focus
  • Controlled assessment (approx 30 – 35 hours)
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of GCSE
  • Contextual challenges to be released annually by AQA on 1st June in the year prior to the submission of the NEA
 Practical application of:

  • Core technical principles
  • Specialist technical principles
  • Designing and making principles

NEA Assessment Criteria;

  • Identifying and investigating design possibilities
  • Producing a design brief and specification
  • Generating design ideas
  • Developing design ideas
  • Realising design ideas
  • Analysing and evaluating

Pupils will produce a prototype and a portfolio of evidence

Work will be marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.
Enrichment Offer

After-school sessions are offered to KS4 pupils studying Product Design each week by all teachers.

Useful Resources and Revision Support