Design and Technology Curriculum
Curriculum Intent – Content and Structure
The intended outcomes of what we teach:
Design and Technology aims to develop the creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, designing and making skills of our students. Students can discover, use and develop their range of practical making skills alongside their designing and analytical skills to create meaningful and commercially viable products, buildings, spaces and experiences. Students will learn about the materials, manufacturing and mass-produced world around them. |
Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum Content and Sequence
Year 7
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Bauhaus Introduction to core skills analysing, designing, making /CAD/CAM etc. | Bauhaus continued 10 Principals of Good Design Materials - Desk tidy / pencil case Intro to core practical skills - making and accuracy. | 10 Principles of Good Design Materials - Desk tidy / pencil case. |
Year 8
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Movement and Lighting Introduction to plastics, movement and motion and further use of CAD/CAM. | Art Nouveau and Casting Introduction to design movements and the process of casting – including use of pewter, concrete and resin. | Ergonomics and The User Introduction to students designing for a user creating a prototype and evaluating their ideas. recycled materials? How can we incorporate individual ideas into a team project? Students will explore the texture and patterns within the urban environment.There will be an opportunity for a photography lesson outside of the classroom where students will photograph different surfaces around the Academy. From these photography outcomes students will design and create a lino print inspired by the textures and patterns they see in the surfaces. |
Year 9
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Biomimicry Contemporary Furniture. Students explore the ideas of using nature as a source of inspiration to design a chair. | Design Movement Storage Unit. Students design and create a storage unit based on a 20th Century Design Movement. They will demonstrate an understanding of colour theory in their design and planning process as well as in their ceramic outcome. There will be an independent Art HL project to be launched this term, which will lead to a department prize at end of Spring Term for the best project about their chosen Ceramic Artist. | Architecture- Micro Housing. Students explore architecture by creating a micro housing unit by using a shipping container as the basis for a home. |
Year 10
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Design Ventura Students work in groups and collaborate to create a product that would be sold in the Design Museum shop. Workshop skills in use of machines, CAD/CAM, cutting, shaping, joining, and finishing. | Designer, Maker, User Students will make a product and then redesign their own improved version to cater for a different user. Mock NEA - Students will create a reduced NEA portfolio that will prepare them for their Year 11 GCSE NEA. | Mock NEA Students will create a reduced NEA portfolio that will prepare them for their Year 11 GCSE NEA. |
Year 11
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
GCSE NEA Students create their design portfolio. Researching and exploring their chosen design context. | GCSE NEA Students create their design portfolio. Designing and making based on their chosen design context. | GCSE NEA Students complete their design portfolio. Making and evaluating based on their chosen design context. |
Year 12
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Form vs Function - Lak Table Students have a foundation project to embed skills on the main aspects of researching, designing, making and evaluating | Form vs Function 2 - Architecture, Lighting and Furniture Students explore a different aspect of design building on the key aspects of design. | Preparation for Year 13 - Research and Presentation on Personal Study Students prepare for their personal study project in Year 13 developing research and presentation skills. |
Year 13
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Personal Study Students generate their own design brief and focus on a project that builds on their designing and making skills. | Personal Study Students complete sustained focus and finish their final designs and evaluate their projects. | Externally Set Assignment Students are given a brief by the exam board and respond with quicker deadlines in place. |
The Rationale for the Content and Sequence of what we Teach
Year | Why we Teach this Content and how the Content and Sequence of Topics Benefits our Students |
Year 7 | Foundation of subject knowledge and embedding key skills and concepts. |
Year 8 | Exploring more complex ideas and building on key skills and concepts. |
Year 9 | Refining and exploring use of wood, plastics and metals – Intro GCSE content |
Year 10 | Introducing live briefs with real life clients – More GCSE content |
Year 11 | GCSE NEA portfolio with GCSE content completed |
Year 12 | Foundation of A-Level skills in researching, analysing, designing and making |
Year 13 | Exploring Personal Study and responding to exam board brief. |
Key Stage 4 (KS4) and Key Stage 5 (KS5) only:
What exam board/syllabus do you teach?
KS4 - AQA GCSE Design and Technology
KS5 - AQA Art and Design Three-Dimensional Design
Why have you chosen this syllabus?
KS4 - The balance of practical and exam 50:50 gives students excellent balance of portfolio and exam understanding for pursing a range of pathways.
KS5 - The course is more practical with better scope for ensuring all ability students can achieve well and create a personal portfolio for further education applications and allows students to explore their own themes within their work.
In what ways is it suited to your students?
KS4 - Suits students who are academically able and capable of researching, designing, making and evaluating.
KS5 - Suits a wide range of students both internal and external who are academically able and capable of researching, designing, making and evaluating.
Curriculum Implementation
The subject specific habits and behaviours we develop (or intend to develop) in our students
Subject Specific Habits and Behaviours | How we embed these in our students |
Analysing Designing Making Reflecting Presenting | Analysing - Teachers embed these habits by creating learning activities that ensure students can NOTICE details and use REASONING to work out what those details tell us about a product. Designing - Teachers ensure students have the chance to be CREATIVE, expressing themselves by using their IMAGINATION to come with original and innovative ideas to meet a need. Making - Teachers provide opportunities for students to use the tools, machines and equipment safely to CREATE and REALISE their ideas. Reflecting - Teachers give students time to EVALUATE and REFLECT on the ideas that they create and consider how they could drive and iterate further improvements in their ideas. Presenting - Teachers direct students to present and display their sketchbook learning in a CLEAR and COHERENT manner that show attention to detail. |
Academy Ethos
Academy Curriculum Intent | How our department’s curriculum content and teaching approaches reflect the whole Academy ethos |
A Curricular and Pastoral commitment to Micah 6v8: Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God. High Expectations of students’ behaviour for learning, learning progress and respect for our community. A commitment to make learning enjoyable, engaging, relevant and challenging. A commitment to develop knowledge, skills and character. Consistency and fairness in approach and routines. Excellent and developing subject knowledge which inspires confidence in students. Effective collaboration across all parts of the Academy. Highly skilled teaching which deepens understanding and stimulates curiosity. A willingness to embrace research and innovation in order to enhance the learning potential of our students. Recognising and rewarding effective use of learning habits as well as academic achievement. | Design and Technology students need to imagine their product would suit the needs of a user other than themselves. To do this they must consider using just, kind humble characteristic. Justice - Can students design a product that is just? Is it worthy of a price? Is it honest? Does the production of the product consider fair trade? Or the environment? Kindness - Can students design with another user in mind? How can the consideration of others needs be a important factor in design ideas? Why is empathy and kindness important when designing? Humility - How can students consider being humble about their design ideas? How can evaluating their ideas mean that you may improve the outcome? Excellence - Using designing and evaluation tools products and ideas can become more successful. Share examples of excellence in design from a range of designers and architects. Collaboration - Designers need to work by themselves and form part of a design team or company. What collaboration skills are important in design when collaborating? Curiosity - Designers must be curious about the world around them. They must consider reason why? Why is that material used for that product? Why is that product designed in the way that it is? Innovation - What is innovation and why is innovation important in designing? List innovative product. What makes them innovative? Recognition - Teachers will award praise through 9s, praise post cards and through sharing examples of student’s outcomes that are excellent. Public praise to encourage students in their designing. |
Implementation
Academy Ethos
Micah 6v8: Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God | ||||
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Justice |
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Kindness |
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Humility |
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