Design is intelligence made visible.”
– Alina Wheeler
Design & Technology
Our design and technology curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens. It introduces students to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human imagination, creativity and achievement.
Mrs I Collings
Head of Design & Technology
Good design and quality, healthy food has the power to change lives. Everything that you see, feel, touch or taste has been designed or made by someone. Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
Our design and technology curriculum has been carefully designed and delivered to ensure students:
- use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.
- acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art.
- learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.
- through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.
As a department we aim to inspire and encourage pupils’ creativity to produce problem solvers of the future. We believe that design technology should be about improving people’s lives, either by the products that we make and use or the food that we eat.
Whether pupils leave the department at the end of KS3, or continue to KS4, we aim to ensure that all pupils leave with an appreciation of good design, healthy food and an ability to solve problems through their design and making skills gained with us.
Year 7, 8 and 9 Curriculum Content
Our KS3 curriculum has been designed to expose students to a range of materials, ingredients, tools and equipment so that they can gain skills needed to succeed in life and in later study, if chosen.
Our KS3 curriculum is taught on a carousel model. Each year pupils will receive lessons in Food, Product Design and Textiles. Pupils receive 1 lesson of DT per week, 36 in total over the year. Due to rooming and staffing considerations, pupils will receive 12 lessons each of Food Textiles and Product Design per year.
The projects completed each year get progressively more challenging to embed and recap the skills learnt in previous years whilst also encountering new theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
| Year 7 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Gaining skills in Product Design - Block Bot Project |
| Autumn HT2 | Gaining skills in Product Design - Designing to a brief and solving problems |
| Spring HT1 | Gaining skills in Textiles - Natural world cushion cover project |
| Spring HT2 | Gaining skills in Textiles - Applique & surface design |
| Summer HT1 | Gaining skills in Food – Health, safety and hygiene |
| Summer HT2 | Gaining skills in Food - Healthy eating |
| Year 8 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Developing skills in Product Design – Passive amplifier Project |
| Autumn HT2 | Developing skills in Product Design – Passive amplifier Project |
| Spring HT1 | Developing skills in Textiles – Intricate insects Micro: Bit pencil case project |
| Spring HT2 | Developing skills in Textiles – Reverse applique & surface design |
| Summer HT1 | Developing skills in Food – Where does our food come from? |
| Summer HT2 | Developing skills in Food – Where does our food come from? |
| Year 9 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Product Design Expanding skills in Product Design – Architecture and CAD |
| Autumn HT2 | Product Design Expanding skills in Product Design – Sketch up development |
| Spring HT1 | Textiles Expanding skills in Textiles– Tie dyed drawstring bag |
| Spring HT2 | Textiles Expanding skills in Textiles– Tie dyed drawstring bag |
| Summer HT1 | Expanding skills in Food– Food around the world |
| Summer HT2 | Expanding skills in Food – Diets and allergies |
Year 10 and 11 Curriculum Content
At KS4, GCSE 3D Design and Level 1/2 Hospitality and catering are offered. These courses have been chosen carefully with our students’ success in mind. Practical skills, creativity and theoretical knowledge are taught alongside each other in both of these courses. We aim to help pupils understand the importance in the world as a designer or member of the food industry.
Product Design
| Year 10 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Communicating design ideas |
| Autumn HT2 | Ettore Sottsass lighting project |
| Spring HT1 | Ettore Sottsass lighting project |
| Spring HT2 | Architecture project |
| Summer HT1 | Final major project |
| Summer HT2 | Final major project |
Year 10 3D Design Curriculum Map
| Year 11 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn | Final major project |
| Spring | Externally set assignment preparation |
| Summer | Externally set assignment |
Year 11 3D Design Curriculum Map
Hospitality and Catering
| Year 10 | Unit/Topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn HT1 | Understand the environment in which hospitality and catering providers operate |
| Autumn HT2 | Understand how hospitality and catering provisions operate |
| Spring HT1 | Understand how hospitality and catering provision meets health and safety requirements |
| Spring HT2 | Know how food can cause ill health |
| Summer HT1 | Propose a hospitality and catering provision to meet specific requirements |
| Summer HT2 | Understand the importance of nutrition when planning menus |
Year 10 Hospitality and Catering Curriculum Map
Sixth Form 3D Design Curriculum Content
Key Stage 4 Design and Technology students follow the AQA GCSE Art and
Design specification or the WJEC Hospitality and Catering GCSE. For further details, please follow the link below.
Download Full GCSE 3D Design specification
Download Full GCSE Hospitailty and Catering Specification
Key Stage 5 design technology students follow the AQA Art and Design (3D Design). For further details, please follow the link below.
Download Full A Level Art and Design (3D Design) Specification
Please click on the logos below to visit Design Technology -specific materials and resources.
- BBC Bitesize KS3:
- BBC Bitesize KS4:
Please click on the First Careers logo to visit their website.
A Student’s View
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Oliver
Former Notre Dame student, went on to study English Literature at University of Cambridge
