Design & Technology

Curriculum Intent

Design Technology is evolving around new and emerging technologies. Studying Design Technology at Sunbury Manor School empowers our students to understand the future of the world they are living in and to engage in the innovation process.  We understand the diversity of our students and have designed our curriculum to appeal to a wide range of learning styles by allowing students to determine their outcomes through positive thinking and giving them the opportunity to engage with materials, components and emerging technologies.

Design Technology encourages students to become independent thinkers and to ask questions and seek solutions to briefs when challenged to create new ideas. They develop life skills needed to overcome obstacles whilst preparing themselves for the work environment, and are provided with the platform for Technical and Vocational careers and further academic study drawing on skills attained in Mathematics, Science, Computing and Art. Design Technology enables our students to appreciate the design and creative industry whilst it supports their own aspirations to become young designers who seek to develop a unique product. It prepares our students to become responsible and aware of the environmental and social impact of a designer’s choices and decisions. Students become accustomed to the notion of teamwork and sharing restricted spaces whilst creating and solving together and helping and inspiring each other.

In Key Stage 3 students have one lesson per week. They are given the opportunity to experiment, gain confidence and learn new skills through project-based learning with an emphasis on Health and Safety. Each project provides the opportunity to access a range of different practical skills, creating a culture of self-pride and achievement by creating finished products to a high quality.

In Key Stage 4 Design and Technology (AQA) is offered as an option

This is a broad skills-based course which encompasses all aspects of Design and Technology including Resistant Materials, Mechanisms, Electronics and Textiles. It allows pupils to develop design solutions using materials and processes that include the use of laser cutters and 3D printers. The course comprises of a written exam which is 2 hours long and makes up 50% of the final grade. The other 50% is attained through the NEA coursework where students produce a prototype and a portfolio of evidence. This will be a substantial design and make task based on a theme prescribed by the exam board. This will be done in 30-35 hours approximately.

At Sunbury Manor School our experienced and passionate Design and Technology staff provide a safe environment in which students can be innovative, take risks, and become problem solvers who are willing to develop into capable learners. We aim to strive to provide our students with skills that enable them to compete with others, armed with knowledge of the use of the latest equipment available in a school workshop. Our Technology staff are encouraged to challenge our students to achieve the highest that they possibly can by modelling good practice and keeping up to date with new and innovative ways of delivering the curriculum with the support of professional bodies such as DATA.

We are working collaboratively within the department and in partnership with other departments such as Science and Maths to create extra-curricular clubs that enable enthusiastic students to explore DT outside of lesson time.  At KS4 students are encouraged to extend their knowledge and skills after school.

With an annual shortfall of 59000 engineers, it is incumbent on us at Sunbury Manor School to engage young people from an early age with industry relevant skills embedded in our Design and Technology lessons. We have started to do this by introducing designing using CAD and making using CAM. Our investment in laser cutters and 3D printers have closed the gap between antiquated schemes of work and current industry level processes. We have incorporated this with lessons in practical skills using conventional tools and processes, which enables our students to function in both academic and practical work situations. With the focus on new and emerging technologies this platform gives our students a head start To become innovative designers, engineers and consumers of the future.  It will form a foundation that can built upon at college, apprenticeships and in further education Summary of facilities and staffing

The Design Technology department functions with sufficient resources to deliver our current curriculum. However, we are constantly procuring resources that will assist our students to design and make products of a high quality. Together with a laser cutter we have added four 3D printers. Department staff teach in three workshops as well as two classrooms equipped with PC’s, sufficient for a full class of students in their DT groups. Currently we have a faculty head and a deputy faculty head and two additional full time members of staff who are responsible for the delivery of the Design Technology curriculum across the key stages alongside specialist teaching assistants and technicians.

Curriculum Overview

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

 

 

Y7

Hygiene health and safety in the food rooms and 2 x Food and Nutrition practicals

Health and safety in the workshops and keyring practical

Graphics

Moisture Tester

 

 

Mini carrot cakes

Completion of moisture tester

 

Food practical falafel

 

Chocolate Mould

 

Food practical Ragu 

 

Y8

 

Systems and control

Electronics practical/ packaging

Working with wood

Computer aided design/badges

Computer aided manufacture

Design & Make a door sign/ Combining graphics and CAD/lasercutting

 

Y9

 

Graphics/research and development

Working with wood

Computer aided design

Computer aided manufacture/pewter casting

Additive technology/Tinker cad software

3D Printing/modern and smart materials

 

Y10

 

New and emerging technologies/ Industry

Design and make Practical/ working with wood

Scales of production/

Communication of design ideas  (Orth and Iso)

The work of others

Prototype development

Environmental, social and economic challenge

Ecological and social footprint.

Ecological and social footprint. 2nd half (page 95to98)

Materials and their working properties.

Physical and working properties.

Sources and origins.

Forces and stresses on materials. 

Modern and smart materials.

New and emerging technologies. 

Selection of materials or components.

Selection of materials and components

Understanding a systems approach when designing.

 

Y11

 

NEA

NEA/Mock revision

NEA/Revision/Mock exam

NEA Completion

Final exam revision

Final exam revision

 

 

 

GCSE Specification

Subject Leader:

Mr Naiker

Contact:

jnaiker@sunburymanor.surrey.sch.uk

Exam Specification:

AQA Design & Technology 8552

QN Code:

603/0984/2

Summary of course content

Central to the content of this qualification is the requirement for learners to understand and apply processes of iterative designing in their design and technology practice. They will need to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills through a variety of processes that ‘explore needs, ‘create’ solutions and ‘evaluate’ how well the needs have been met.   The knowledge, understanding and skills that all learners must develop are underpinned by technical principles and principles of designing and making.   Design and Technology requires learners to apply mathematical skills and understand related science. This reflects the importance of Design and Technology as a pivotal STEM subject.

Assessment

What is assessed?

Practical application of the following in both examination and non-examination work:

• Core technical principles

• Specialist technical principles

• Designing and making principles

 

Written exam: 2 hours

  • 100 marks
  •  50 % of the GCSE (maths and science knowledge contributes to at least 15% of the marks in the exam and will be examined in any of 3 sections below)

The exam is split into 3 sections:

  • Core technical principles (20 marks) – a mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions assessing a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding
  • Specialist technical principles (30 marks) – several short answer questions (2-5 marks) and one extended response to assess a more in depth knowledge of technical principles
  • Designing and making principles (50 marks) – A mixture of short answer and extended response questions

Non-exam assessment (NEA) approximately 30 – 35 hours

  • 100 marks
  •  50 % of GCSE

Task(s)

  • Contextual challenges to be released annually by the exam boards on 1 June, in the year before      submission.
  •  It is a substantial design and make task where students will produce a working prototype and a portfolio of evidence (maximum 20 pages) to demonstrate the assessment criteria above.  The assessment criteria is:
  • Identifying and investigating design possibilities
  • Producing a design brief and specification
  • Generating design ideas
  • Realising design ideas
  • Analysing and evaluating

Work will be marked by teachers and moderated by the exam board     

What type of activities take place in lessons?

Year 10 is focused on revising skills learnt in KS3 and building the additional knowledge needed for the course.  Students will need to learn about the following, through both theoretical and practical work:

  • Papers and boards
  • Natural and manufactured timber
  • Ferrous and non-ferrous metals
  • Thermo and thermosetting polymers
  • Natural, synthetic, blended and mixed fibres, and woven, non-woven and knitted textiles.   

 

There are eight topic areas which will be taught throughout the course.  These are:

1. Identifying requirements

2. Learning from existing products and practice

3. Implications of wider issues

4. Design thinking and communication

5. Material considerations

6. Technical understanding

7. Manufacturing processes and techniques

8. Viability of design solutions.

 

What type of homework tasks will be set?

Homework will be a range of small projects, research, maths tasks, finishing class tasks and revision.

How will it help me in the future?

To become innovative designers, engineers and consumers of the future.  It will form a foundation that can built upon at college, apprenticeships and in further education

How will this course build on what I have studied in Year 9?

It will develop a deeper understanding of all materials and their properties and a deeper understanding of their impact on the environment

What skills will I develop?

Practical Skills

Problem Solving Skills

Mathematical and logical thinking skills

Presentation Skills

Communication Skills