Design Technology lessons allow children and teenagers to be creative while also developing new skills and grasping an understanding of how things work. It gives them an understanding and appreciation for the world around them, and develops skills that can be applied later in their lives. Recently the ICT, DT and Construction teams in school have combined to form a Technology area of the school.
OUR DEPARTMENT AIMS
- Through Technology, pupils can become critical and informed users of products, and become designers and innovators.
- Pupils will learn to think and do something creative to improve quality of life.
- Technology is about learners becoming self-motivated, creative, problem solvers and allows them to work both as individuals and as members of a team.
- Pupils will look for needs, wants and opportunities and respond to them by developing a range of design ideas and by making and evaluating products and systems.
- Learners will combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social issues, environmental issues, function, and industrial practices.
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AT KEY STAGE 3
Year 7 follow a starter skills module to prepare for design tasks which develops skills in team work and communication, use of equipment, measuring, and problem solving. During the module, learners will complete tasks on their own to produce work that they have designed. Examples of projects in Year 7 include an innovative hand-held game that incorporates the latest technology of 3D printing and laser cutting. The Year 8 module focuses on the development of a Robotic Arm, with lots of modelling, evaluation and development work, and with plastics technology to design and produce a mobile phone charging stand. Pupils can then go on to opt for a BTEC course in Engineering or a WJEC Level1/2 Award in Construction.
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AT KEY STAGE 4
Construction
This innovative Level 1/2 qualification was developed in partnership with CITB and is primarily designed for learners aged 14-16 who want to learn about the construction industry from the build perspective. Units covered include Health, Safety and Welfare and about various practical trades in the industry.
Engineering
The BTEC First in Engineering have been developed in the maintenance, manufacturing, electronic and general engineering sectors to:
- provide education and training around Engineering
- give learners the opportunity to enter employment in the engineering sector or to progress to vocational qualifications such as the Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Manufacturing Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
- give learners the opportunity to develop a range of skills and techniques, personal skills and attributes essential for successful performance in working life.
The units covered here include an Investigation of an Engineered Product, Computer Aided Engineering and Design, as well as Health and Safety in Engineering.
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AT KEY STAGE 5
We offer the Level 3 BTEC National in Engineering. The BTEC qualifications in this specification are designed to provide highly specialist, work-related qualifications in a range of vocational sectors. They give learners the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to prepare for employment. Units covered here include Mechanical Principles and Applications, Engineering Secondary and Finishing Techniques, and Welding Technology.
