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Design and Technology

Staff within the Department

Ms B Hewitt – Head of Department - Teacher of Product Design and Graphics

BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Mrs N Lahiffe – Teacher of Food Technology & Textiles Technology

BA (Hons) Multi Media Textiles

Ms L Fraser - Teacher of Textiles

BA (Hons) Art in the Community with a specialism in Printed Textiles

Mrs K Home (Art and D&T Technician)

Ms E Sturgess (Food/Textiles technician)

In Design and Technology we encourage pupils to combine creative thinking with practical and technological skills to design and make products or systems that meet human needs. We provide opportunities for pupils to create practical solutions and to actively develop products that improve the quality of life for one person or for many.

Design and technology promotes pupils’ intellectual and practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, technical, cultural, health, social, emotional, economic, industrial and environmental issues.

Pupils develop a variety of skills and techniques such as product analysis, information and presentation drawing, computer aided design, (CAD) the use of modelling tools and machines, and computer aided manufacture, (CAM).

At EWS we have well equipped specialist rooms for teaching Food Technology, Product Design, Graphics and Textiles. We have laser cutting technology in the department for all year groups to use to help realise their designs.

 

Curriculum                                                                                            

KS3

 

Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms

The Design and Technology curriculum is delivered through the 3 subject areas of Food, Product Design and Textiles. All Year 7 and 8 pupils spend one term in each of these specialist material areas and cover the topics outlined below.

 

Food Technology

Product Design

Using Resistant Materials

Textiles Technology

Year 7

 

Core skills

Nutrition

Hygiene & Safety

Systems &  Control

Electronics

Materials & Processes

CAD and CAM

Printing & Manufacturing

Pattern design

Transfer printing

Machine skills

 

Year 8

Diet through life

Health Eating

Special Dietary needs

Nutrition

Materials & Manufacturing

Product Modelling

Machine skills

CAD/CAM

 

Materials & Manufacturing

Pattern cutting

Materials & processes

 

Activities to do at home

Food Technology

  • Develop your independence in the kitchen by helping to prepare and cook meals
  • Trial new recipes and experiment with ingredients.
  • Research new and exciting dishes
  • Watch programmes like the Great British Bake Off

 

Product Design

  • Check out new ideas and inventions on programmes such as Dragons Den
  • Design and make your own personalised cards
  • Start keeping a scrap book of design work that you like
  • Come along to our CAD and CAM club

 

Textiles Technology

  • Design your own textiles products, including clothing
  • Experiment with different materials and components
  • Watch programmes like the Great British Sewing Bee
  • Practise using a sewing machine

 

KS4

If you choose to study any of the D&T courses at KS4, you will experience working in different disciplines and learn a wide range of design and practical skills.  At EWS we offer 3 separate GCSE courses. Students can choose from: Food & Nutrition, Product Design and Textiles.

Food Preparation and Nutrition

Specification GCSE (9-1) WJEC Eduqas

http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/food-preparation-and-nutrition/

Course Description

As part of this three year GCSE course, students complete the Jamie Oliver BTEC Level 2 in Home Cooking skills. This provides them with an excellent skills base which they continue to build on in years 10 and 11.

Food Preparation and Nutrition is a course which has been developed in consultation with the British Nutrition Foundation. The accredited specification equips students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. The course involves students looking at the chemistry of food as well as the nutritional requirements of different consumer groups.

How will students be assessed?

In year 11 Students have 2 practical assessments and a final written examination.

  • The first controlled assessment involves planning, making and evaluating their dishes to a prescribed task (30% of total marks). 
  • The second controlled assessment is a prescribed experimental task where students study the functions of certain ingredients and create a hypothesis, make predictions for possible outcomes and evaluate their findings (20% of total marks)
  • At the end of year 11 all students sit a written paper in Food Preparation and Nutrition (1 hour 45mins / 50% of total marks). 

 

Term

Year 9 Topics

Year 10 Topics

Year 11 Topics

Autumn

Jamie’s BTEC in Home Cooking Skills.

Introduction to food room.

Eggs theory

Hygiene and safety

Practical sessions include designing and making exciting breakfasts, salads, packed lunches, healthy cakes, pizza and more.

Development of flavour and ingredient knowledge, presentation skills, gluten and starch, various methods of heat application.

Knife Skills

Safety and contamination

Fruits & Vegetables, including potatoes (fresh, frozen, dried, canned and juiced)

Milk, cheese and yoghurt

Dietary considerations – allergies & intolerances

Food provenance

Food science

Practical cooking lessons: Fajitas, pineapple upside-down cake, cauliflower & broccoli cheese and fruit salad (linked to enzyme browning)

Yorkshire pudding, Pasta bake (cheese sauce), Vanilla ice cream

Writing detailed time plans, dovetailing and time management

 

 

 

 

Board controlled task (30%)

Written coursework and practical cooking examination

Spring

Cooking meat and fish safely,

Time plan production and scaling for industry

Fruit and sugar

Cereals (including flours, breakfast cereals, bread and pasta)

Food provenance

Food science

Dietary considerations

Meat, fish, poultry and eggs

High risk foods

Practical cooking lessons: Lemon meringue pie, Swiss Roll, Brioche, Risotto, Quiche

Fish curry, Potato salad, Pavlova, Burgers, portioning a chicken

Board Controlled task (20%)

Written coursework and practical investigation

Summer

Final Assessment with 3 hour practical under exam conditions

Special dietary requirements - recipe adaptation project

Butter, oils, margarine, sugar and syrup.

Butter making, chocolate brownies, rough puff pastry, hollandaise sauce

Soya, tofu, beans, nuts, seeds

Sunflower and pumpkin seed flapjacks, vegetable and bean casserole, chilli con carne (TVP)

TVP and meat substitutes

Written exam - 1 hour and 45 minutes (50%)

 

 

Activities to do at home

Students should develop their independence in the kitchen, trailing recipes out and experimenting with ingredients. They can research exciting dishes which they may get the opportunity to create.

 

 

Design & Technology: Product Design

Specification: AQA GCSE Design and Technology 8552

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/design-and-technology/gcse/design-and-technology-8552

Course Description

Design and technology is part of everyday life and is constantly evolving. This new Design & Technology qualification is modern and relevant, so you will learn about contemporary technologies, materials and processes, as well as established making practices. You will use your creativity and imagination to design and make prototypes that solve real problems, considering your own and others’ needs, wants and values. You will design and make creative and original products using a wide range of materials and techniques, ranging from lighting and time pieces to gadgets and games. The course is built upon a multimedia approach so you will study and use materials such as paper, card, plastics, metal and wood, as well as electronics, for modelling your products. Our laser cutting machine is used throughout the course for Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture, (CAD and CAM).

 

Term

Year 9 

Year 10 

Year 11 

 

Autumn

Introduction to materials: Paper, card, fabric, plastic, metal, wood, composites

Design & Make tasks for material focus 

Energy generation & storage

Systems: electrical & mechanical

NEA Task

(Modelling, testing)  

Preparation for mock written exam 

 

Spring

Design & Make tasks for material focus 

(CAD & CAM)

NEA Task

(Analysis of contextual challenge, Design Brief, Specification)

NEA Task  

(Making, testing, evaluating)

 

Summer

Modern, smart & composite materials

Production techniques & systems

New & emerging technologies 

NEA Task

(Research, ideas, development)

Revision of topics for written exam  paper                                   

Practice questions, strategies and timed tests

How will students be assessed?

There is 1 tier of assessment covering grades 1-9

Written Examination Paper - 50% of total marks. 2 hours. This is sat at the end of Year 11 and tests students’ knowledge and understanding of materials, processes and technical principles through a combination of multiple choice, short and extended response questions. It is externally marked

Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) - 50% of total marks. Approximately 30-35 hours. Internally marked.

This consists of a design folio and a 3-dimensional prototype, selected from a range of contextual challenges set by the exam board.

 

 

Why study Design and Technology?

If you enjoy inventing and want to develop your skills in designing, drawing and modelling, and are

interested in product concept, from a sketch on paper through to its realisation, then this course is for

you. It provides an excellent route into GCE Product Design and leads into a variety of professions like

architecture, theatre and television prop design, interior design, retail and display, business and engineering.

 

Design & Technology: Art & Design: Textile design

Code - 8204 

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/gcse/art-and-design-8201-8206/specification-at-a-glance

 

Course Description

Textile Design is essentially a practical subject, in which students will learn fundamental designing and making skills, using creativity and originality. Pupils will use and explore and experiment with a variety of materials, techniques and processes in order to design, make and evaluate their own textile products. Fashion Illustration is covered as well as observational drawing techniques and students are encouraged to develop their own style. The study of artists and designers aim to provide strong contextual links within themed projects. The influences of environmental, social and ethical issues, surrounding textile manufacturing, are also covered.

Year 9 Topics 

Autumn

Hand and sewing machine skills / Sketchbook work

Embroidered Mexican Day of the Dead sugar skulls.     

Spring

Hand and sewing machine skills / Sketchbook work

T-shirt project using a range of decorative techniques and based on the theme of ‘Messages.’

Summer

Dress or trousers project – pattern cutting and garment making skills / Sketchbook work.

Year 10 Topics

Autumn

3D Bag project based on the theme of Under the Sea.  

Research, designing and making a 3D bag – range of decorative techniques / sketchbook work

Spring and Summer

Sustained project – this is a major project based on the theme of Space & Time. Students will evidence their journey from initial ideas, designing and experimentation with materials. They will develop an final outcome of their own choice that links to the theme.  Sketchbook work and final outcome.

Year 11 Topics

Autumn

Further skills workshops to build on students’ existing knowledge and understanding.

Spring and Summer

Externally set assignment

Preparatory period followed by 10 hours of supervised time

How will students be assessed?

Component 1: Porfolio  -  60% of GCSE

A portfolio that in total shows a thorough coverage of the four assessment objectives. It includes a sustained project evidencing a student’s journey from intial engagment to the realisation of intentions and a selection of further work undertaken during the student’s course of study.

Component 2: Externally set assignment – 40% of GCSE

Students respond to their chosen starting point (theme) from an externally set paper relating to Textile Design, evidencing coverage of all four assessment objectives.

Preparatory period is followed by 10 hours of supervised time

Activities to do at home

  • Visit the Victoria & Albert and The Fashion and Textiles Museum
  • Make your own textile products
  • Try ‘up-recycling’ old clothes to make new outfits
  • Watch programmes like the Great British Sewing Bee

Enrichment Activities and Trips

To further enrich and support student’s involvement in Design and Technology, we offer extra- curricular activities during lunchtimes and after school. These can range from ‘Seasonal cooking’ clubs to ‘CAD/CAM laser club. We also provide additional opportunities for Year 11 students to work on their NEA in our specialist rooms after school where they can also benefit from additional 1:1 support. We also participate in local and international design competitions, for example designing for the Forth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

We have taken trips to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Design Museum and been involved in a joint textiles project with the Gunnersbury Park Museum.  Links have also been established with the University of West London.

We help Year 11 students with their portfolios and applications to higher education.

Career Paths

Design and Technology courses provide an excellent route into Key Stage 5 courses, higher education, specialist colleges and employment.  The courses are centred on bringing out the creative, practical and innovative skills and talents of students.

D&T: Product Design can lead to a variety of professions such as architecture, engineering, interior and exhibition design, product design, theatre and television stage, set and prop design.

Food, Preparation and Nutrition can lead to professions such as dietician, food technologist, nationalist, food and drink development and manufacturing.

Textiles provides an excellent route into further creative studies. It could also lead into professions like fashion and textile design, print design, fashion merchandising, theatrical costume, fabric technologist and interior design.