Our aim is to allow all students to develop their designing and making skills in order to make quality products.
The course followed by Years 7, 8 and 9 (Key Stage 3) consists of 50% of time working with Resistant Materials and 50% working in Food and Textiles. In Resistant Materials, students learn the properties of wood, metal and plastics; how to cut and join these materials; and how to design products which can then be made. Study of electronics and mechanism also forms an important part of the course. In Food and Textiles, pupils do more in-depth market research, task analysis and trialling of work. The emphasis is on the making of quality products. This can only be achieved by appropriate supporting research, design and development. Students learn more effectively by doing, we retain information more readily by practising activities. This is the philosophy of the Department, based on an understanding of the needs of the student as an individual.
In Food Technology, students will cover food safety and hygiene, learn basic cooking skills, investigate the function of ingredients in recipes in order to produce a range of products for consumption at home. We cover nutrition and healthy eating throughout the course, with the aim of enabling students to make informed choices when meal planning or choosing a snack or school meal. Students are involved in simple market research to help support the learning activities being offered.
In Textiles Technology students will be given opportunities to use an electric sewing machine. They will have access to a computerised sewing machine, which will embroider designs for them. Hand sewing skills and techniques are equally important, being used to ensure accuracy and enhance a student's own design. Students have opportunities to practise stencil-making, application of fabric paints, tie-dye etc. The emphasis is on purposeful creativity, learning practical skills appropriate to the task and selecting and handling suitable materials.
The department has three well equipped workshops with a range of machinery including a brazing hearth, plastics former, pillar drills and scroll saws.
In Years 10 and 11 students will choose to study one aspect of Design and Technology in greater depth for their GCSE course. Possible options include Resistant Materials, Electronic Products, Food Technology, Textiles Technology, Product Design.
