Curriculum

Design Technology

| Education | Curriculum | Design Technology
Design and technology is part of everyday life and is constantly evolving. Our curriculum focuses on developing practical skills within a particular material area, allowing pupils to learn about industry standards and manufacture products with high quality outcomes. Pupils learn about commercial processes and careers in related industries, as well as developing core transferable skills, such as collaboration and communication. They gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Pupils also get the opportunity to work creatively when designing, making and apply technical and practical expertise.

Our Food Technology curriculum focuses on pupils developing the practical skills of cooking and applying the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Pupils will use their creativity and imagination to help instil a love of cooking. Additionally pupils will be able to identify health-related diseases and the effects of a poor diet. Pupils will also learn about methods of food production and processing in domestic and commercial situations.

Curriculum Overview – Key Stage 3
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9

Design Technology

  • Design briefs
  • CAD modelling
  • Product testing and evaluating
  • CAM – laser cutter, CNC router and 3D printing
  • Designing skills – isometric drawing and rendering
  • Product analysis
  • Past and present designers
  • Material properties
  • Moulding techniques – vacuum forming
  • Mechanisms

Food and Nutrition

  • Hygiene, health and safety in the kitchen
  • The eatwell guide
  • Knife skills
  • Appliance safety
  • Sustainability and food waste

Design Technology

  • Product specifications
  • Electronic components
  • Soldering
  • Designing – isometric oblique and orthographic projection
  • CAD modelling – Autocad Fusion 360
  • Modelling
  • Testing and evaluating
  • Prototyping

 

Food and Nutrition

  • Traditional and cultural foods
  • Seasonal foods
  • Food labelling
  • Sustainable farming and harvesting
  • Technology and food manufacturing / production
  • Special diets

Design Technology

  • Careers in Design Technology
  • Advanced CAD modelling
  • Design sketches
  • Physical modelling
  • Robotics
  • Programming
  • Gears and mechanical systems
  • Coding

 

Food and Nutrition

  • Food waste
  • Nutrients
  • Balanced diets
  • Food industries
  • Food preparation and processing ingredients
  • Food careers

 

Curriculum Overview – Key Stage 4
Year 10 Year 11
  • The impact of new and emerging technologies
  • How the critical evaluation of new and emerging technologies informs design decisions; considering contemporary and potential future scenarios from different perspectives, such as ethics and the environment
  • How energy is generated and stored in order to choose and use appropriate sources to make products and power systems
  • Developments in modern and smart materials, composite materials and technical textiles
  • The functions of mechanical devices used to produce different sorts of movements, including the changing of magnitude and the direction of forces
  • How electronic systems provide functionality to products and processes, including sensors and control devices to respond to a variety of inputs, and devices to produce a range of outputs
  • The use of programmable components to embed functionality into products in order to enhance and customise their operation
  • The categorisation of the types, properties and structure of ferrous and non-ferrous metals
  • The categorisation of the types, properties and structure of papers and boards, of thermoforming and thermosetting polymers, of natural, synthetic, blended and mixed fibres, and woven, non-woven and knitted textiles and of natural and manufactured timbers
  • All design and technological practice takes place within contexts which inform outcomes
  • Investigate environmental, social and economic challenges when identifying opportunities and constraints that influence the processes of designing and making
  • Use different design strategies to generate initial ideas and avoid design fixation
  • Develop, communicate, record and justify design ideas, applying suitable techniques
  • Specialist Material Area

Contextual Challenge

  • Investigate
  • Design
  • Make
  • Evaluate

Revision

 

Assessment

Internal assessments take place every term.

KS4 Exam Board Specification: Pearson Edexcel GCSEDesign and Technology (9-1)

Enrichment Offer

The Department offers subject-specific enrichment clubs and pupils are able to use the Academy’s state-of-the-art facilities at both lunchtime and after school. Pupils are able to take part in school-wide competitions, as well as representing the Academy in local and national competitions designed to increase their engagement and enhance their subject knowledge.

Careers

Examples of Careers related to the study of Design Technology include:

Product designer, Civil engineer, Architect, Fashion designer, Interior designer, Automotive designer, CAD engineer, Furniture designer, Games designer, Sports designer, Electrical engineer, Mechanical engineer, Aeronautical engineer, Medical engineer, Aerospace engineer, Biomedical engineer, Agricultural engineer, Materials engineer, Machinists, Fabricator and Programmer.

Examples of Careers related to the study of Food and Nutrition include:

Dietician, Chef, Health educator, Fitness trainer, Food scientist, Nutritionist, Caterer, Food blogger, Kitchen designer, Cheese maker, Recipe developer, Culinary artist, Baker, Agricultural technician, Restaurant publicist and Food critic.

Further Information

For further information about our Design Technology curriculum offer, please contact Mr Uddin (Director of Learning for Design Technology) using the school contact details.

Useful Resources and Revision Support