Design Technology, Art and Computing

“Your success will not be determined by your gender or your ethnicity but only by the scope of your dreams”
– Zaha Hadid (1950 – 2016)

Intent

Design Technology at Stanley High School allows the students to explore Technology beyond the National Curriculum and build the next generation of engineers, creators, and designers. The students will acquire the necessary skills to operate fully as industry experts and have an innate passion to always ask why.

The Design Technology curriculum provides a platform that incorporates the application of Mathematics and Science in all learning opportunities. The department promotes active participation from the students and in turn create well-rounded individuals with transferable life skills.

The diversity of our project work prepares and equips all students to develop British values by creating and encouraging a sense of pride and self-fulfilment in their work. Student practical work will be assessed, and examples of excellent work will be displayed in the department. The students develop and understanding of the impact of material waste on the environment and consider the effects on the local and global community. Students respect the work of others and provide effective feedback to other students to enable learning and progression. Students are enabled to undertake this feedback in a respectful manner. Students in food technology use multi-cultural ingredients, discovering the cuisines of different nationalities and cultures.

In KS4, students understand the role design technology has for potential careers, this will ultimately develop a forward thinking, skilled and professional workforce for the future. Students at Stanley High School are encouraged to par-take in a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities such as; the Cadburys World Experience in Birmingham and the Harry Potter Studios in Watford which will enable the students to become familiar with a variety of industries and place greater value on the place Design Technology has in their lives and in the wider world.

In the department, the pupils thrive from a positive culture and climate, which enables skilful delegation of leadership roles in the subject (The curriculum champion programme) which therefore has the ability to play to the strengths of all pupils. We promote a positive, yet challenging climate where students are encouraged and supported to take risks and have high expectations that are clearly modelled by our experienced staff then having the recognition for doing so.

As a team we promote a diverse range of practical, teaching skills and knowledge, as experts within our own fields. Pupil voice has demonstrated praise for our relationships within the department and with students. Because of a successful KS3 delivery of the curriculum, the department has had a consistently high percentage in the number of students that choose to take the qualifications we offer at KS4.

Implementation

We are proud to have a team of staff that have wealth of experience and enthusiasm:

Subject Leader of Design Technology. Subject specialist for BTEC Creative Media – Mrs C Lyon
Teacher of Design Technology – Miss K Green
Teacher of Computer Science – Mr K Fraser
Teacher of Fine Art – Mrs McAlister
Teacher of Fine Art – Mrs E Ward
Teacher of Food and Nutrition – Mr J Sconce
Technician for Technology – Mr A Pinder

KS3 Curriculum

Year 7-8

Per fortnight pupils have:

Four lessons of Design Technology on a rotation (Design Technology, Food and Nutrition, Graphics x 2)
Two lessons of Art
Two lessons of Computing

Students in KS3 and KS4 cook at least once a week. Ingredients are provided for students who are eligible free school meals and pupil premium.

KS3 Curriculum

The department has developed projects and schemes of work based around what is expected from the National Curriculum. We bridge the gap between knowledge and skill from KS2 and the requirements to study our KS4 courses. This is done incrementally from Year 7-11. All the projects delivered are based around ‘real life’ briefs. All skills and knowledge are connected to careers within the industry. This is to ensure design technology students experience a broad and balanced curriculum in line with the DFE requirements.

Upon entry, all areas issue baseline assessments so staff can tailor the learning experience based upon the prior knowledge of the child and address any gaps in skill and knowledge.

The areas of delivery are:

Design Technology (Workshop)

Year 7 – Architectural clock – Students research, design and make a clock inspired by famous architects. Using both hand tools and CAD CAM, pupils create a free-standing clock from plywood and acrylic.

Year 8 – Pendant Keyring – Students design and make a pendant keyring based on a theme of their choice. Learning about the process of metal casting, pupils create a CAD CAM mould to then create a pewter cast keyring before using hand tools to create a professional finished product that they can package.

Food and Nutrition

Year 7 – Basic Cookery – Students learn basic recipes to learn the basic life skills needed to cook savoury family meals.

Year 8 – Staple Foods – Students learn how to work with staple foods to create savoury and sweet family meals.

Graphics

Year 7 – Southport Pleasure land project – Students research and design a new business logo and merchandise for Southport Pleasure land.

Year 8 – Design a business – Students research, design and make a 3D model for a business.

Art

Year 7 – Confectionery project – Students research artists who depict images of confectionary. They draw from direct observation, take photographs, learn how to mix, and apply coloured media and develop ideas for an individual final piece.

Year 8 – Insects/Pets project – Students research contemporary artists who work in design, fashion, craft and through the medium of Fine Art. They develop skills in drawing, painting, and sculpture to enable them to produce a creative piece of work.

Computing

Year 7 – Introduction to programming, computer hardware, introduction to HTML, scratch programming, virtual Micro Bit programming.

Year 8 – My digital world, binary number system, introduction to Python programming, HTML and CSS, Scratch

Year 9

Design Technology, Food and Nutrition, Computer Science and Creative Media are on a rotation in Year 9. Students experience another rotation so they can get a flavour of the courses delivered at GCSE before they choose to opt.

Design Technology (Workshop)

Year 9 – For the final project before thinking about options, students create a desk lamp from acrylic and plywood, using both CAD CAM, hand tools and machinery. A circuit will be created to power the strip LEDs to the lamp to make it fully functioning.

Creative Media

Year 9 – The students engage with the theory behind film making; they look at how camera angles, lighting, sound and editing techniques affect how the audience responds to the films. They then produce advertising materials for Netflix creating their own designs, photography and editing techniques using Adobe Photoshop.

Food and Nutrition

Year 9 – Students look at food miles and international food theory. They then design and prepare foods from all around the world to learn about different cultures and religions.

Computer Science

Year 9 – Influential people in Computer Science, computer networks, Python programming, HTML, CSS and JavaScript, Scratch

Art

Year 9 – The curriculum is based around preparing for GCSE. The student’s study ‘Landscapes’ using different media such as pencil, coloured pencil, watercolour, and acrylic paints.

These are the qualifications we offer at KS4:

EDUQAS GCSE Computer Science. https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/computer-science-gcse/#tab_keydocuments
EDUQAS GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/food-preparation-and-nutrition-gcse/#tab_keydocuments
EDUQAS GCSE Design Technology. https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/design-and-technology-gcse/#tab_keydocuments
BTEC Tech Award in Creative Media (2022 Specification) https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-tech-awards/creative-media-production-2022.html
EDUQAS GCSE Art and Design: Fine Art. https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/art-and-design-gcse/#tab_keydocuments

How are SEND students supported in Design Technology?

Smaller class sizes.
Scaffolded tasks, bespoke resources. Exemplar pieces of work.
Where applicable teachers will adapt the schemes of work.
After school and extracurricular provision is available.
We are proud to say that the Art and Design: Fine Art GCSE, BTEC Creative Media and GCSE Food and Nutrition has consistently had both SEND and disadvantaged students exceed their target.

How are disadvantaged students supported in Design Technology?

Students have access to catch-up sessions.
Resources, ingredients, and equipment are provided free of charge.
We have funded places on education visits and trips for all our disadvantaged students.
Revision guides paid for.
Bespoke intervention.

How are More Able students stretched in Design Technology?

Entry to local and national competitions.
Enrichment visits to further education establishments.
Access to A-level material provided by staff.

At KS4 pupils also engage with local and national competition opportunities for the More Able for example: Rotary cooking competition, Rotary Technology tournament and Southport College’s Bake off.

Impact

How is student progress monitored in Design Technology?

KS3

September baseline for all KS3 classes.

One piece of quality formative marking per half term which incorporates the following: Star presentation sticker and comment, what went well and even better if and SPAG Check.
A regular summative assessment as follows of that are recorded in the KS3 Technology spreadsheet

KS3 Computing – End of unit assessment every half term/end of topic.

KS3 Technology – End of rotation assessment after each rotation.

KS3 Art – Skill assessment every half term.

KS4

September baseline for all KS4 option classes.

One piece of quality formative marking per half term which incorporates the following: Star presentation sticker and comment, what went well and even better if and SPAG Check. For KS4 there may also be a GCSE/BTEC Grade awarded.
A regular summative assessment as follows that are recorded in the option spreadsheets by individual staff:

KS4 Computer Science – End of unit assessment after every topic.

KS4 Design Technology – End of unit theory assessment every half term. Year 11 NEA constantly moderated throughout the assessment period before the exam board deadline

KS4 GCSE Food and Nutrition– End of unit theory assessment every half term. Year 11 NEA constantly moderated throughout the assessment period from the exam board.

KS4 Fine Art – Skill/coursework deadline assessment every half term to meet the requirements of the exam board.

BTEC Tech Award in Creative Media – Moderated Pearson assessment as they are released from the exam board.

What does a successful Design Technology student look like?

Our aim is to ultimately develop a forward-thinking, skilled and professional workforce for the future. A successful Design Technology student has developed practical core life skills that they can apply in the future. The students will have thoroughly enjoyed their time developing skills to exercise them in career paths moving forward.

Additional Information

At Stanley High School the Technology department provide a practical skill based vocational led curriculum. This ethos is strengthened by staff offering an extensive range of extra-curricular options:

Technology Tuesday Club 3-4pm (Week B)
Tuesday Christmas cake club starts after half term Years 9, 10 and 11 (Week B)
Monday Mrs Lyons ‘Higher Level Skills’ cookery class for Year 10 and 11 (Week B)
Tuesday KS4 Catch-up intervention 3-4pm (Week A)
Art lunchtime coursework catch up.
Lego lunchtime club every Tuesday

Enrichment trips: The Design Technology department believe it is important for students to experience a life outside the classroom. These are the trips we run yearly as standard practice.

Year 7 and 8 – Cadburys World Experience in Birmingham.
Year 9 and 10 – Silverstone Museum (Formula One).
Year 9, 10 and 11 – Harry Potter Studios in Watford.
Year 11 Food and Nutrition Students – Manchester Christmas Markets.
Year 10 Food and Geography Students – Visit to Edinburgh.

Ongoing projects:

Year 10 and 11 Design Technology students are currently involved with the Southport tourism department to develop a project for the Marine Lakeside Events Centre (MLEC). This is partnered in line with Southport College.