< Back to Subject List

At Wallingford we feel it is important that young people get the opportunity to create products and explore new materials in a safe and empowering environment. Across the four subject areas within Design Technology, we aim to encourage our pupils to be creative thinkers and challenge them to design innovative products for real life problems. This is done by exposing them to relevant design briefs that are then analysed and developed individually and in group activities.

We teach a wide range of theory content through KS3 into KS4 and A level. This provides pupils with knowledge about what materials products are made from and how they are manufactured in industry. We teach them about the impact products have to the quality of users lives, the further impact on the global market and the environment. They are asked to explore new technologies and consider greener solutions and to test how these can be applied to the product they design in lessons. 

Alongside this they are provided with practical skills that they can not only use to solve design issues in lessons but are skills they can use for life in the wider world. They acquire knowledge of materials, ingredients, consider users’ needs and sustainability so they have the confidence to work independently and responsibly.  In this, the Design and Technology department fulfil the school’s ethos of enabling pupils to become both able and qualified and in turn thrive in our modern world.

Design Technology: Art & Design: Textiles GCSE - Years 10, 11

10.1 Decorative and embellishment techniques; presentation skills and annotation; using the sewing machine; reverse Applique; stencilling / printing; embroidery.
10.2 Texture focus: slashing, distortion, embellishing, quilting, fibres and crochet.
10.3 Garment construction skills; using a pattern; making a corset; fabric manipulation.
10.4 Exam preparation - design and make a piece of wearable art.
10.5-10.6 Extended Project - chosen from a range of briefs. (AO1&3)
Year 11, Terms 1-6
11.1 Product development; modelling / pattern making; refining shape of product; developing design ideas; developing decoration. (AO1,2,3)
11.2 Refining ideas and designing final outcome; planning for exam; mock exam. (AO4)
11.3-11.4 Exam preparation: introduction to project titles. Development of ideas.(AO1,2,3)
11.5 Exam, final submission and exhibition.(AO4)

Art & Design: Textiles A Level - Years 12, 13

12.1 Portraits Project:Contact sheets of own portrait photos Digital manipulation, Stitched black & white photos Bondaweb to calico, free machine embroidery, Monoprinting, Exploring ideas in response to David Hockney research, Own choice of Artist to profile. Explore scale, colour and line, Reverse collage/stitched collage
12.2 Protraits project continued. Students produce a final piece in response to their investigations
12.3 Mini Heat Press Project: Students are introduced to a range of different skills, techniques and effects using the heat press Students produce a range of samples – presented, annotated and evaluated in sketchbooks.
12.4 Development of response Artist research: Students should use a range of techniques to explore and develop the initial response to their artist. 2 or 3 developments to be produced in lessons.
12.5-12.6 Extended Project - chosen from a range of briefs. (AO1&3)
Year 13, Terms 1-6
13.1 Product development; modelling / pattern making; refining shape of product; developing design ideas; developing decoration. (AO1,2,3)
13.2 Refining ideas and designing final outcome; planning for exam; mock exam. (AO4)
13.3-13.4 Exam preparation: introduction to project titles. Development of ideas.(AO1,2,3)
13.5 Exam, final submission and exhibition.(AO4)