Design Technology

The department is housed in new purpose designed workshops with a wide range of equipment enabling students to experience all aspects of design technology from simple hand tools to state of the art computer manufacturing systems.

Students follow a varied and interesting course throughout the three years at Key Stage 3. National Curriculum Orders are covered by teaching students to design and make products by combining Designing and Making skills with knowledge and understanding.

Students will work in several areas within the Design and Technology department. They will undertake projects that allow the development of practical skills and the gaining of knowledge in such areas as Food Technology, Textiles echnology, Resistant Materials (wood, metal and plastic) and Control Technology using simple electronics and computers. Students will learn the design process and acquire drawing and sketching skills appropriate to the tasks set. They will also use CAD/CAM systems to design and make graphic products. Each project is assessed according to the two attainment targets of Designing and Making in the proportion of 2:3.

At different stages of each of the three years students are assessed and reports will state the level at which students are working.

Resistant Materials

Resistant materials at GCSE covers the knowledge of the various materials you might have used in the last 3 or 4 years, the metals commonly used for manufacturing commercial products ~ (perhaps several of your own projects too) ~ and a variety of common plastics. Modern products use materials that are constantly being altered either to make the manufacturing more cost-effective or to make the products more durable. Manufacturing processes are therefore constantly being improved but your studies should give you a basic understanding of processes such as injection moulding, casting, welding and brazing and the reasons why one process is more suited to a product than another.

Examples of students work