Design and Technology

The Design and Technology (DT) curriculum aims for all students to develop as designers that have awareness of technology’s role in the design and manufacture processes. Through their study of DT, students problem-solve, think innovatively about the endless possibilities of design and technology, and understand the ways in which design impacts the environment as they develop practical skills in the workshop.

Design is not just a way of making and doing; it’s a way of understanding and engaging with the world. ​​We encourage students to think imaginatively about the endless possibilities of design. Students will discover how design impacts the environment as they investigate its role within society and culture. Students learn to see design as a complex combination of systems and actions, and not just as a set of distinct practical skills.​

Through the DT curriculum, students learn to design and make outcomes that solve genuine, relevant problems within different contexts, whilst considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Our knowledge-rich curriculum supports students to become both environmentally and socially aware of their actions. In each cycle of learning, students work to a design brief where they consider function and aesthetics whilst understanding the cradle-to-grave aspect of products. Students build their knowledge of materials and processes, and understand the real-life applications of 3D technologies in careers such as dentistry, engineering and graphic design.

In Year 7 students learn the foundational knowledge in Design and Technology that will support their learning in future years. They become familiar with the design process and apply knowledge to reach solutions, fuelling their passion for the design-and-make process. Over the course of the academic year, students will look at design influences through a case study on the German Bauhaus movement and its application in furniture. Students develop their technical drawing skills by exploring isometric and perspective drawings which are used to support their prototype making in the workshop. Students then move on to electronics where they look at how to develop a sustainable mono-amplifier. Here, students will explore how to solder components on a printed circuit board. Students then design and make a case for their amplifier using sustainable materials. Finally, students use software to design and make a product that will be printed using a laser cutter. This CAM project allows students to understand the application of software in the manufacturing process.

Building on their understanding of sustainability in Year 7, students will investigate, design and make sustainable toys. They will create wooden figures inspired by Lego. They will design and make a prototype using a range of workshop machinery including fret saws, belt sanders and pillar drills, whilst utilising hand making skills, such as dowel joints. Students will design their Lego figure using isometric drawing skills, and their timber Lego figure will be finished with paint and varnish. Students will experiment with designing packaging for their Lego figures, through a graphics-based project, and discover more about Adobe software. Students will also be introduced to food and nutrition to understand safety and hygiene within a kitchen environment. Students will be working with pastry to bake their own sweet or savoury pastry plaits.

In Year 9, students refine their skills of responding to design briefs and client needs. Students explore CAD software to 3D-print their own Monopoly counter piece design which must meet a developed specification. Students will have the opportunity to develop their technological literacy and graphics skills by developing inclusive app interfaces through UX/UI design for elderly users. Students will be presented with a client and brief, and will explore methods of empathising with elderly users and identifying pain points through user mapping to establish ways of introducing inclusivity to the design process. Finally, year 9 students will develop their culinary skills through a project based on food and nutrition where students will explore dietary requirements and dishes from around the world. Students will then re-create a dish belonging to a specific country in response to a design brief.

At KS4, students have the opportunity to study GCSE Design & Technology. This subject provides students with the opportunity to solve problems through critical design thinking, presented through a series of coursework projects, and for the written exam to test for knowledge of material and processes developed over the two-year programme. This course is designed not only for anyone who intends to pursue a career in the design world, but it gives students the skillset to work with a range of materials and processes. All students will design and make practical solutions to real-life problems. The course provides students with real practical and transferable skills with many degrees and careers in and out of design including engineering, dentistry and graphics.