Have a wonderful summer - Next term starts: Thursday 3rd Sept for Yrs 7 & 12, Friday 4th Sept for all other years | 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.
Key Stage 3 - Years 7, 8 and 9
At Key Stage 3, Design Technology is taught in a "carousel" style, with students covering a range of disciplines at different times over the year.
| Year 7 | |
|---|---|
| Food & Nutrition |
|
| Product Design | Creative Carrier (card): task analysis; zigzag/curve model; research/initial ideas; final design; plan of make; test model; final model. |
| Resistant Materials | Key Fobs: health and safety rules in the workshops; product analysis of existing key fob designs; design 4 different ideas; annotation skills; modelling skills - final design; introduction to first making process - gluing the acrylic pieces together; making changes to improved design work; demonstration into cutting and shaping (coping saw and files); cutting and shaping acrylic to final design shape; demonstration on how to use polishing wheel and pillar drill safely; shaping and refining/polishing; and finishing key fobs. |
| Fashion and Textiles | Pencil Rolls: Health and Safety, Basic understanding of using a sewing machine and key equipment e.g. scissor and irons, colour theory, stencilling, working with fabric and practical skills. |
| Year 8 | |
| Food & Nutrition |
|
| Product Design | Pop up Cards. Task analysis; research/initial ideas; testing different mechanisms, final design; test model; final prototype. |
| Resistant Materials | Clocks: health and safety rules in the workshop; product analysis of existing clock designs; introduction to materials, e.g. MDF, acrylic and plywood; design 4-6 different ideas; annotation skills; modelling skills - final design; finish model and annotate what went well and what needs to be improved/developed; making changes to improve design; creating templates for all components; tool demonstration; cutting, shaping, polishing acrylic; assembling components. |
| Fashion & Textiles | Sweet Inspired Cushion Covers: Health and Safety, continue and extend understanding of using a sewing machine and how to apply different stitches & techniques e.g. Applique, working with fabric and practical skills e.g. tacking, making a hem and finishing. |
| Year 9 | |
| Food & Nutrition |
|
| Product Design | Slot Together Product using CAD. Task analysis; research/initial ideas; using 2D Design Software, final design; test model; final model cut using the laser cutter. |
| Resistant Materials | CAM Toys: health and safety rules in the workshop; theory of CAMS; introduction to materials, e.g. different woods; design 4 different ideas; annotation skills; modelling skills - final design; finish model and annotate what went well and what needs to be improved/developed; making changes to improve design; creating templates for all components; tool demonstration; cutting, shaping, finishing; assembling components. |
| Fashion & Textiles | Technical Pouch: Health and Safety, continue and extend understanding of using a sewing machine and how to apply different stitches & techniques e.g. Quilting, working with fabric and practical skills e.g. transfer dye and using the heat press. |