Technology

Our technology curriculum

KS3 Technology curriculum

Intent: We believe that students deserve a Design & Technology curriculum which prepares them for the world they live in. Our curriculum aims to promote and develop resilient, independent, lifelong learners with the abilities to solve problems utilising a range of transferable skills, thus allowing them to access and become successful and productive members of the wider community. The Design and Technology department comprises the following subjects: Engineering/ Design Technology, Hospitality & Catering/Food Technology, and Textiles. In Design and Technology students combine practical and technological skills with creative thinking to design and make products, and create systems, that meet human needs. They learn to use current technologies and consider the impact of future technological developments. They also learn to think creatively and intervene to improve the quality of life, solving problems as individuals and members of a team.

Design & Technology is a subject which draws, develops and implements a range of different disciplines including mathematics, science, engineering, computing, geography, business studies and art. The subject embeds high quality literacy skills through analysis and evaluation techniques. Through the curriculum, students are actively contributing to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of themselves. Students will be working in stimulating contexts that provide a range of opportunities and draw on the local ethos, community and wider world, students identify needs and opportunities. They respond with ideas, products and systems, challenging expectations where appropriate and considering aesthetic, technical, cultural, health, social, emotional, economic, industrial and environmental issues. As they do so, they evaluate present and past design and technology, and its uses and effects. Design and Technology education makes a unique and valuable contribution to the education and preparation for students’ future lives for work and or leisure. We aim to ensure that our students achieve the best possible experiences in Design and Technology, to become lifelong learners sharing the same joy of the subject that their teachers have.

Year 7Year 8Year 9
Half term 1Cooking: Hygiene, healthy eating, basic cooking and nutrition skills.
Textiles:
Safety and equipment techniques.
Systems & control:
Safety in the workshop, how students should conduct themselves following the safety rules and using the correct PPE when required
Cooking: Macro and micro-nutrients, Recipes for the family
Textiles:
Products created for consumer needs
Systems & control:
Programming and complex wood joining techniques
Cooking: Food science
Product design:
MP3 dock – Product development, considering the needs of a client and studying the work of other designers
Systems & control: User centred design and iterative design work, considering the work of other designers
Half term 2Cooking: Healthy eating and ways of providing balanced packed lunches.
Textiles:
Theory covers basic fibres, yarn and fabric properties, construction and Fairtrade – providing sustainability and ethical issues involved in the production of textiles.
Systems & control:
The main learning and development of skills is through a series of focused practical tasks with elements of research, design and evaluation.
Cooking: Macro and micro-nutrients, Recipes for the family
Textiles:
Products created for consumer needs
Systems & control:
Programming and complex wood joining techniques
Cooking: High skilled dishes
Product design:
MP3 Dock – Developing a user centred product, beginning with a standard frame and amplifier circuit
Systems & control:
Mathematical modelling of simple mechanical systems
Half term 3Cooking: Designing products based from an existing recipe.
Textiles:
Students investigate a theme and existing products in relation to a target user’s needs.
Systems & control:
Students investigate human skills and develop their understanding of hand eye coordination skills.
Cooking: Practical cooking medium/high skilled dishes, looking at specific diets
Textiles:
Tote bag project
Systems & control:
Recording the manufacturing process, tools and equipment and safe working procedures
Cooking: Using different methods to analyse products, identifying which method is best depending on desired outcome
Product design:
MP3 Dock – Design a creative product taking inspiration from others and influence by the clients’ needs and wants
Systems & control:
Create a range of solutions by studying other designers
Half term 4Cooking: Designing products, considering the nutritional value
Textiles:
Students practice decorative techniques to inspire their designs and develop their skills using the textiles room equipment.
Systems & control:
Students develop a knowledge of a working circuit and electrical components through building a soldered circuit for a hands steady game
Cooking: Practical cooking medium/high skilled dishes, looking at specific diets
Textiles:
Tote bag project
Systems & control:
Wood working skills
Cooking: Experiment with ingredients and cooking methods
Product design:
MP3 Dock – collecting consumer feedback
Systems & control:
Consider client needs to create solutions that are comfortable, easy to operate and include good levels of reliability
Half term 5Cooking: Students evaluate their food, discussing the sensory and nutritional properties as well as ways it could be improved.
Textiles:
Students design and plan before embarking on the manufacturing of their cushion, to make informed decisions on applying decoration.
Systems & control:
Students are introduced to timber, MDF, acrylic and copper wire through making basic joints, drilling and manipulating the materials
Cooking: Research project – designing a product
Textiles:
Research project – client needs, 6 Rs and sustainability
Systems & control:
Soldering skills and programming
Cooking: Study a range of ingredients and the science behind what happens when they are cooked and mixed with other ingredients
Product design:
MP3 Dock – Presenting ideas in orthographic and isometric (using CAD)
Systems & control:
Anthropometrics
Half term 6Cooking: Students relate dishes to target customers, analysing how it will fit in with their nutritional needs
Textiles:
Students record and evaluate their success throughout the stages of making and for the final outcome.
Systems & control:
Students relate their product to a target customer through designing and decorating a backboard for the steady hand game.
Cooking: Research project – designing a product
Textiles:
Research project – client needs, 6 Rs and sustainability
Systems & control:
Practical tasks
Cooking: High level cooking skills
Product design:
MP3 Dock – testing, evaluation, environmental impact
Systems & control:
Primary research, establish mathematical decisions based on CAM mechanics and frame size constraints

KS4 NCFE L1/2 Technical Award in Engineering


Exam board: NCFE
Course code: 603/7006/3
Examinations: Unit 1 exam – 40%. Unit 2 NEA- 60%.
Progression routes: This course can lead to careers in engineering, manufacturing and processing.

Year 10Year 11
Half term 1Engineering disciplines
Maths and Science links
Practical/workshop introduction – mild steel bottle opener
Processing skills and techniques
Synoptic – Resource pack completion
Half term 2Maths and Science links
Reading engineering drawings
Synoptic – NEA
Half term 3Hand Drawn Engineering drawings
CAD
Synoptic – NEA
Exam preparation
Half term 4CAD
Materials
Exam preparation
Half term 5Tools equipment and machines
Production planning techniques
Exam preparation
Half term 6Processing skills and techniquesRevision.

KS4 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition

Exam board: AQA
Course code: 8585
Examinations: Food preparation and nutrition paper 50%, NEA Food investigation and food preparation assessment 50%
Progression routes: This course can lead to careers in food production and manufacture, cooking, product analysis, food inspectors, environmental health inspectors and farming.

Year 10Year 11
Half term 1Health and NutritionFood choice
Half term 2Food ScienceNEA1
Half term 3Food structuresNEA1
Half term 4Food safety and hygiene skillsNEA2
Half term 5Mock NEANEA2
Half term 6Revision of topicsRevision

KS5 courses

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Updated | 23rd January, 2024 |

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