Design & Technology
No product exists, until someone designs and produces it
Design and Technology is a subject that teaches students about designing and making solutions that improve people’s lives. Solutions which mean people are able to make better decisions, to work more effectively or comfortably. The curriculum aims to enhance and strengthen students’ creativity, stimulate their imagination and engage them in practical hands-on experiences in order to realise their ideas and to experiment with different materials, including Food.
Skills are taught progressively to ensure that all students are able to learn and practise in order to develop as they move through the school. Through our subject we look to actively develop skills such as teamwork, problem solving, and project and time management – all of which are consistently sought and valued by employers. We provide a curriculum that is relevant for the future, preparing students for work within a full range of careers. Regardless of background, ability or career path, we aim to provide knowledge and understanding of newly emerging and rapidly developing technologies, alongside traditional skills in order that students can understand and utilise them beyond their school years.
In today’s world there is an ever-increasing focus on the use of resources and the impact on the environment, resulting in a greater awareness of sustainable design. We aim to teach students about the social, economic and moral issues associated with producing products across the world. Students learn how to take design risks, helping them to become resourceful, innovative and enterprising citizens, who believe in striving to be the best they can able to succeed in making others proud. They develop skills to critique and refine their own work as part of the iterative design process.
Design and Technology promotes learning across the broader curriculum by providing opportunities for students to apply practical knowledge to solving real world problems. By the time students leave our school they will have the ability to carry out thorough research, show initiative and ask questions to develop an exceptionally detailed knowledge of users’ needs. They will have the ability to act as a responsible designer and producer, working ethically, using finite materials carefully and working safely. A thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their prototypes will have developed and they can work independently. Students will have the ability to apply mathematical knowledge and skills accurately, alongside managing risks exceptionally well, in order to manufacture prototypes safely and hygienically.
In addressing the above, we aim to create an environment in which students can take creative risks, able to develop original and imaginative ideas. Through excellent teaching we empower students to clearly communicate their ideas to others, to knowledgably select the best materials for realising their designs and to complete the design process by evaluating and improving their prototypes. We endeavour to pass on our passion and enthusiasm for the subject.
Click to download the Design & Technology Curriculum Map