Design Technology

Curriculum timetable: 12-week rotation

	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Design Task	Key ring project	Pull Along Toy	Contextual Challenge
Knowledge and skills	Health and safety Introduction to tools, machinery and materials. Introduction to a design brief and analysis of the task. Design specification, understanding of key points of ACCESSFM. Writing own Design specification in line with the brief. Creating original initial and final design ideas. Self-assessment/peer assessment to support improvements to designs.	Health and safety in the workshop. Understanding a design brief and analysis of the task. Writing a Design specification. Marking out. Quality control. Initial design ideas. Understanding types of motion-rotary, linear, oscillating, reciprocating.	Health and safety. Contextual design challenge Students to respond using iterative design process. Analysis of the contextual task. Students to research and investigate user needs, providing an empathetic response. Writing a clear design brief and specification. Client profiles. Anthropometric data and its use in design. Research of designers’ past and present. Design skills avoiding fixation. Inclusive design. Materials knowledge: Introduction to Plastics, Recap on Timbers and Paper and Boards.
Practical Skills	Prototypes and modelling of design ideas. Creating a template on 2D design software to produce a keyring.	Introduction to tools. Practical use of hand tools & machinery, cutting out and sanding body blocks. Practical use of machinery- Pillar drill & use of jigs. Finishing techniques-wood stain.	Analysing, researching, generating design ideas. Develop design communication through sketching, CAD, isometric, sketch up & drawing tools. Creation of prototypes using Styrofoam and/or card modelling.

Design Technology-Textiles

	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Design Task	Tote bag	Equipment roll	Bucket hat
Knowledge and skills	Health and safety in the textiles room. Introduction to equipment, machinery and materials. Introduction to a design brief and analysis of the task. Design specification, understanding of key points of ACCESSFM. Creating original initial and final design ideas, based on inspiration of existing artists and environmental issues when reducing plastic use. Self-assessment/peer assessment to support improvements to designs.	Health and safety in the textiles room. Introduction to equipment, machinery and materials. Introduction to a design brief and analysis of the task. Design specification, understanding of key points of ACCESSFM. Creating original initial and final design ideas, based on personal hobbies and interests creating doodle/graffiti style fabric design. Self-assessment/peer assessment to support improvements to designs.	Health and safety in the textiles room. Introduction to equipment, machinery and materials. Introduction to a design brief and analysis of the task. Design specification, understanding of key points of ACCESSFM. Creating original initial and final design ideas, based on personal and location identity using local Sheffield artists for inspiration, Luke Horton and Pete Mckee. Self-assessment/peer assessment to support improvements to designs.
Practical Skills	Realising design ideas onto fabric, using fabric crayon and producing their own block print. Making and constructing a tote bag using the sewing machine.	Realising design ideas onto fabric, batik, sublimation printing and a range of embellishment to add to the aesthetic of their product. Making and constructing an equipment roll using the sewing machine.	Realising design ideas onto fabric, heat transfer paints, sublimation printing and a range of embellishments to add to the personalisation of their bucket hat. Making and constructing a bucket hat using the sewing machine.

At Yewlands Academy students receive a Design and Technology curriculum which allows them to develop their skills through technical knowledge, designing, making and evaluation.

We encourage students to:

Use their imagination and creativity to problem solve in real and relevant contexts.
Use their organisational skills to work efficiently and effectively as both individuals and as part of a team.
Think outside of the box and not be afraid to take risks within their projects.
Work in a safe manner, whilst also being considerate of their environment and others around them.
Apply knowledge and understanding of technical information to their learning to support outcomes.

There are focused practical Design and Make tasks which help to develop students’ confidence to know and understand how to use specialist technical vocabulary. The knowledge and understanding skills required are also reliant on the programmes of study from other curriculum areas. We aim, wherever possible, to link work to other areas such as English, Maths, Science and Art, yet again broadening our students’ curriculum beyond the Technology classroom.

During the 12-week rotations of Year 7, 8 and 9 students are exposed to a broad syllabus linking in to the KS4 curriculums of Design Technology, to include resistant materials and textiles and Food Technology. Students begin to experience some of the Core Competencies required by the GCSE curriculums.

Across KS3 skills are broken down into 5 different categories:

Investigate: Students can independently use relevant technical language to interpret findings to explore all aspects of the topic and add depth to their overall project.

Design: Students can independently explore different approaches and work in detail thinking about the success of their outcome. This will also be enhanced by their research. Shown in the work by adding annotation to designs with the use of relevant and key technical language.

Make: Students produce work of a high standard which shows a high level of understanding and accuracy meeting success criteria and keeping within the tolerance of the tasks.

Analyse and evaluate: Students can reflect positively as well as constructively criticise their own work. They show a high level of knowledge and understanding, suggesting improvements and solutions. They are also able to consider and respond to the opinions of their peers/target audience. They also use advanced technical language.

Application: Students can explain in detail and show a thorough understanding of why processes happen using concise technical language.

Through the Design and Make tasks set in KS3 and KS4, we enable our students to grow in confidence and become more technically-minded individuals, preparing them for life beyond Yewlands Academy.

Key Stage 4

GCSE Design Technology (8552)

The GCSE examination specification for Design Technology can be accessed on the AQA website at www.aqa.org.uk

The course is split into two sections – 50% examination and 50% NEA (Non-Examined Assessment).

In Year 10, students will build up their practical skills and wider design technology knowledge through a variety of activities in paper, card, textiles, wood, metal, plastics, electronics and milestone activities.

In Year 11, students will complete the Non-Examined Assessment. This consists of a portfolio of independent investigations into the contextual challenge which will lead them onto developing a final prototype.

This is a challenging course that stretches and enables students to use various subject specific skills to ensure they develop a thorough understanding of a wide range of materials and processes.

The Design Technology NEA task is divided into 6 sections:

Identifying and investigating design possibilities.
Producing a design brief and specification.
Generating design ideas.
Developing design ideas (CAD modelling).
Realising design ideas.
Analysing and evaluating.

Design Technology provides a route to a wide range of careers in creative, engineering and manufacturing industries. It is good preparation for A level Design and Technology courses.