S3 Design and Technology

Course Overview

The S3 Design and Technology course gives pupils an opportunity to enhance and learn new skills in Graphic Communication and Practical Woodwork started in the S2 course.The course builds on basic constructions skills, a variety of tools and processes, building a variety of models with the aim of becoming more confident and working independently. We also work on preliminary sketching, promotional work and production graphics - manually and through 3D modelling. As the course progresses, pupils will be given an opportunity to revisit skills to embed them in a variety of contexts.

Learning and Teaching Approaches

Design and Technology approaches are varied depending on the topic. In the workshop; pupils work independently to complete their own model, following demonstrations and applying these in a variety of models. The workshop also gives pupils the access to work as a group, focussing on peer support and sharing resources. In the classroom; pupils will work independently on a range of exercises. Graphics work will help to build on pupils fine motor skill, IT skills in a variety of specialist software, 3D awareness and evaluating current promotional work and the impact it has to enable them to apply it successfully. Most feedback tends to focus on methods of improvement at the times, although written feedback can be used to help pupils enhance their work for the future.

Homework

Homework will be issued at appropriate times throughout the year. This will be through google classroom. If pupils require access to technology to complete this work, facilities during lunchtime or after school can be available.

Assessment Approaches

Whilst building skills, pupils will be assessed continuously throughout the course. There are  a vast range of practical skills in this course and it is valuable that all pupils are given the opportunity to apply these skills more than once to allow them to get depth. Some topics will have a final assessment piece which is given feedback - however this will not take an exam style approach. By the end of the course, pupils should have a clear understanding of the courses available, paths open to them in the future and where their strengths lay.