Design & Technology

Design & Technology at KS3 isn't just about making; it's about developing essential skills that will serve us well in any future path we choose. Whether our students dream of becoming engineers, designers, or simply want to be creative problem-solvers, the skills our students learn in D&T lessons are invaluable. 

In food technology year seven students have been developed essential cooking skills, including safe food handling, measuring ingredients, and following recipes. We have focused on healthy eating and the importance of a balanced diet. The "pasta salad" project was a big hit! 

In year eight students have been developing their core D&T skills this term, laying the groundwork for future projects. This includes:

• Tool Proficiency: Students have been safely and confidently using a variety of hand tools, including saws, drills, and measuring equipment. We've emphasised precision and accuracy, essential for successful design outcomes.

• Materials Exploration: From exploring the properties of different woods to experimenting with plastics and textiles, students have gained a practical understanding of material selection and manipulation.

• Design Thinking: We've introduced the design process, encouraging students to research, brainstorm, prototype, and evaluate their ideas. This process has helped to build problem-solving skills and foster innovative thinking.

• Introduction to CAD: Many students have began basic CAD skills, through simple 2D drawing ad the use of Canva. This is a vital skill for the future of D&T.

The "sweet dispenser" project is a fantastic way to engage year nine students in practical Design and Technology skills, particularly in problem-solving and the crucial ability to read engineering drawings. Here's a breakdown of the wide array of areas our students have been exploring.

• • • Problem-Solving and Design Challenges: Students are presented with a design brief that requires them to create a functional sweet dispenser. This immediately presents a problem-solving scenario. They must consider factors like: How to dispense sweets reliably, what materials to use for durability and safety and how to ensure the dispenser is easy to use and refill.

    • Material Selection: Choosing the right materials is crucial. Students must consider, the strength and durability of materials, the ease of working with different materials and the safety of materials.

    • Manufacturing Considerations: Students must plan how they will manufacture their designs, considering the tools and equipment available, the accuracy required for precise assembly and the finishing techniques needed for a quality product.

In lessons DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY  students are  manufacturing a mixed material tealight holder, applying their knowledge of the characteristics of materials and their previous practical experience. Alongside this they are learning to become independent experts on Google SketchUp in preparation for creating, developing and presenting ideas in their GCSE coursework.

A group of Design & Technology students have been involved in a National competition, run by Bluewater and Landsec; students had to design and create a visual representation and accompanying pitch for a community inspired use of an empty retail unit in Bluewater shopping centre.  The competition ran over a 6 week period with students going behind the scenes in Bluewater for the launch back in January, they then had some weeks back at school outside of lesson time to get creative. Students worked fantastically in their groups and dedicated so much of their time to their presentations, half way through they were visited by some professionals for some feedback before going back to Bluewater to pitch their ideas in front of the panel of judges.
Students were absolutely fantastic throughout the entire competition and made it extremely hard for the judges to decide upon a winning group.

Triumphantly we won with Lakshdeep, Leo, Precious and Kiera's idea of checkmate; a games board café unit bringing the community of all ages back together to socialise in person. They are now through to the National Finals, where they will have a virtual presentation with judges from Landsec and they hope to then make the top 3 to win the great opportunity to go and present at the Landsec headquarters in London.

Engineering students completed their last controlled assessment at the end of January. Students had been tasked with developing an existing product and presenting their ideas using basic modeling techniques, sketching  through to Computer Aided Design.  The countdown is now on to their exam on the 22nd May. Revision support can be found on the Google Classroom.

The buzz in the engineering department is palpable, and for good reason! Our P16 year thirteen students have recently received their results from a challenging series of external assessments, and the outcomes are overwhelmingly positive. A significant number of students demonstrated exceptional skill and understanding, achieving high marks and exceeding our expectations.

This success has fueled a surge of motivation as students delve into the intricate world of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) for their final coursework unit. Currently, the workshops are humming with the whir of computers as students design and refine their projects. From intricate mechanical components to complex assembly drawings, the CAD work showcases the students' creativity and technical prowess.

The positive results and motivated atmosphere in the engineering department bode well for the future of these aspiring engineers. We look forward to seeing their CAD projects develop and wish them continued success in their studies now and beyond P16.