Design & Technology

Length of Course : The first year of a three year Key Stage 3 course

Course description and aims

In Year 7, Design & Technology is made up of three component parts: Cooking and Nutrition, Resistant Materials/Electronics and Textiles. The projects taught aim to introduce learners to

· To introduce the students to a range of skills and material types.

· To introduce the students to subject specific vocabulary.

· To understand and know how to use a range tools and equipment.

· To help the students develop an understanding of the design process as a whole.

It also helps to prepare learners for the rigors of the GCSE courses, should they decide to select it as an option at the end of Key Stage 3.

Each component carefully builds upon skills taught in Key Stage 2 to engage and challenge all learners. Appropriate practical work is undertaken, increasing learners’ skill set and understanding; giving them the confidence to design, plan and complete work independently, as well as providing them with valuable transferable skills for the future in school, home and at university.

Main concepts and topics covered

- Food safety and hygiene

- The importance of healthy eating and nutrition

- Research Methods

- Computer Aided Design (CAD)

- Electronic circuit boards

- Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM)

- Control, threading and use of the sewing machine

- A wider knowledge of materials

- Seam construction

- Surface embellishment

- Designing for a customer

- Embroidery

Contents

In Design and Technology at BISR students work on a rotation system, where they move through the different design and material disciplines. Rotations last for 11 weeks and involve 1 single and 1 double lesson across the two week timetable. This allows students to gain experience and confidence in a range of design areas and techniques, and make links to the cross disciplinary design process. A different specialist teachers will teach each module.

In Cooking and Nutrition, learners are taught key knowledge of food safety and hygiene with a view to applying theoretical study to practical work. The emphasis in year 7 is identifying the need for healthy foods which are attractive to young people. This is achieved through knowledge and understanding of UK government guidelines on healthy eating in the form of the Eatwell Guide. Year 7 students are also introduced to the subject of food provenance and cover a range of theory which informs them more about the ethical, social and moral aspects of food production in the 21^st century. Practical work underpins key theory and develops high quality cooking skills, problem solving and independence.

Resistant Materials focus on developing learners’ skills in the use of hand tools and machine tools. Students will make projects with and electronic circuit which is housed in a resistant materials case Learners create a hand/machine cut mould for pewter casting. There is an introduction to the safe use of and working in the resistant materials workshop and the tools and equipment used to create designs. The practical side of the course is underpinned with key theory relating to materials, skills equipment and the design process.

Textiles will introduce learners to a range of design and practical skills related to textile design. Students will develop hand and machine sewing skills. These skills improve coordination and encourage problem solving. The project will also teach students an understanding of key theoretical knowledge relating to the use of tools and equipment as well as introducing an understanding of fabrics and fibres and outlining some of the wider ethical, social and moral issues relating to fabrics.

Course outcomes

The study of Design & Technology encourages your child to develop the following skills:

· Enhanced practical cookery skills

· Working with a variety of food groups

· Research Skills

· Planning Skills

· Analytical/Evaluation skills

· Problem solving

· Team and Paired Work

· Enhanced practical skills

Types of assessment

Student progress is assessed both formatively (as part of an on-going process throughout lessons) and summative (at the end of every topic).

Assessment at Key Stage 3 is measured against topic specific rubrics and progress maps. Students are encouraged to become involved in the assessment of their own work and that of peers.

PAR – we use the PAR marking model across the senior curriculum. PAR Positive, Action, Response is a three phase assessment model. The first is some positive feedback, the second is an area on which to improve and the third is what the student will implement to improve it. PAR marking in Art can take the form of self-assessment, peer assessment on an ongoing basis with regular teacher assessment during and at the end of each project. Sometimes PAR marking can take the form of verbal feedback by the teacher.

An end of year exam is undertaken in Design & Technology to assess learners in a summative manner.

Homework

Homework is set fortnightly and requires a minimum of 60 minutes effort. Homework is always linked to classwork and is an important part of the learning experience

Methodology

A variety of teaching styles are used to cater to the different learning styles of learners, including Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic. These are often employed together, allowing learners with different learning styles to all progress as expected during lessons.

Text and materials

Many resources are also uploaded to Google Classrooms.

Grading policy

Students are marked using levels (1-9) in relation to grade descriptors in rubrics relevant to the current topic or project.

In Design and Technology students are marked within each component part.

Additional expectations

Learners are expected to bring an appropriate container to take their food home in when undertaking practical lessons.