Intent

I believe that a high-quality, practical, and theoretical education in DT will teach pupils to think critically and creatively. Studying design and the processes involved supports critical thinking and is essential to understanding the ever-changing role that technology plays within our society.

My DT curriculum has been developed to equip students with a strong understanding of the challenges facing our planet, and to ignite their passion for sustainable change. Only by impressing the importance of design and technology from this key developmental stage can students truly realise their roles within society and work towards a brighter, cleaner, and more inclusive future for all. The curriculum supports students in becoming effective communicators, team workers, innovators and potential entrepreneurs who understand the need to adjust their thinking to incorporate varying viewpoints, economic backgrounds and cultural beliefs.

At PMGHS, our students have the opportunity to work collaboratively and independently with a range of design strategies and equipment. They learn about the world of production and the economic and social benefits of industry, while, at the same time, understanding that the unsustainability of current production methods require new generations of creative thinkers to step in and rethink current ways of working.

In order to ensure our students become critical, analytical and innovative product engineers, we assess the work of past and present designers, seeing how their ways of thinking brought about great changes in fashion, product design, material sciences and communication. At the same time we acknowledge the importance of raising awareness of things like the negative impact of fast fashion, overreliance on fossil fuels and the loss of skills handed down from generation to generation.

The core ideas:

• Design – Understanding contexts, users, purposes, generating, developing, modelling and communicating ideas
• Making – Planning, practical skills and techniques
• Evaluating – Own ideas and products, existing products, past events and individuals.
• Technical Knowledge – Making products work

Implementation

In Years 7, 8 and 9, technology subjects run on a carousel, this provides double lessons for practical subjects which allows for more time doing hands on tasks. Overall, it works out as 2 back to back 50 minute lessons over half a year. The subject is delivered by a teacher with hands on experience of working within the creative industries and over 10 years of teaching experience. Although we do not currently deliver the DT GCSE, an alternative qualification in Textile Design is offered, this allows students to use the design skills learnt during years 7 to 9 in a creative and hands-on way.

Planning and reviewing long term and medium-term schemes of learning take into consideration to whole school policies and pedagogical research and thinking. Lesson planning considers that learning should be sequential, progressive and embedded into pupils’ long-term memory. There are regular opportunities for retrieval through repetition of facts relating to design principals, teachers’ questioning skills, recollection of past products and designers and use of Sims for homework tasks.

There are three areas of study covered within DT: Product design, textiles and systems & control,(Food is delivered as a separate subject in school).

Key Stage 3 Programme of Study:

Year 7

Textiles unit 1 – Understanding fibres and fabrics

What are the properties of fabrics used today and why is it important to understand this? How do we add print and stitch to our fabrics to make them more interesting? How do practising designers achieve this?

This unit considers the origins of natural and man-made fibres, the methods of construction and properties of these and how they are adapted by adding colour and decoration, with examples from current textiles designers.

Textiles unit 2 – Learning to look

How do we generate and communicate design ideas in textiles? How does nature influence design?

In this unit students look at communication on paper using different methods and how to use annotation effectively. It then considers biomimicry as a means of solving design problems, the use of CAD software to manipulate images to make colourways and appropriate printing methods.

Product design unit 1 – Core skills

Learning to develop basic design communication skills including sketching, drawing controlled lines, 3D sketching, annotation, emphasising key points and knowing which points to highlight to get the design ideas across.

Product design unit 2 – Jewellery design

Design and make jewellery to a given theme. Students research and develop a brief, develop a specification and from this generate ideas for designs. Using CAD software they model and test their designs, then using CAM to laser cut and finish their designed product.

Systems and control unit 1 – Scrappy circuits

Scrappy Circuits are components made from everyday office clips, card and wires to illustrate and help students understand how circuits are created and the components are connected. It covers inputs, process and outputs, resistors, and has instructional videos on making and linking component blocks.

Systems and control unit 2 – Mobile phones

How a modern product has developed over time, what change has there been to their form and function during that time? What developments have taken place in electronics that have driven the development of the mobile phone?

Year 8

Textiles unit 1 – Textile entrepreneurs

Design and make a simple product that could be made in small quantities to sell in an independent gift shop. How is making one product different from making a number of identical ones?

Students are asked to design and make a textile product that could be made in small quantities to be sold in a gift shop.

They must research the customers and products and choose appropriate equipment, techniques and materials for their product. Working in teams they will devise production plans and look at cost considerations before manufacturing and testing their products.

Textiles unit 2 – The wider use of textiles in our society

How are textiles used in today’s society? How has

conductive thread and fabric, use of composite textiles in the automotive industry and the use of textiles in medicine had an impact on our world?

Using this, students should understand the wider role of textiles in everyday lives, beyond fashion and furnishing. They should investigate technical textiles for specific uses and demonstrate an understanding of the wider use of textiles. Examples from a range of industries are used to illustrate different uses and applications.

Product design unit 1 – Analyse that

Analysis of famous or household products to help learn about products and inspire for own design work. Students consider a number of products and use the analysis to help them develop their own design specification for a new product.

Product design unit 2 – The Cost of Technology

This examines the true cost of technologies, including raw materials, distribution, processing, finishing and packaging and their impact upon the environment. It also includes the positive benefits of different technologies and how the circular economy helps designers balance the impacts.

Systems and control unit 1 – Music players

During the last 40 years the way we store and listen to music has change beyond recognition, from vinyl to chip. What is the science behind how we stored music on vinyl discs, tape, compact discs, DVDs and chips?

Systems and control unit 2 – Scent emitting device: Aroma Fan

Students analyse existing products to understand how they function and that products can incorporate elements of control. They will investigate and experiment with timing circuits and consider factors influencing designs. Using sketching, 3D modelling and electronics or control systems they construct or model a product using suitable materials, electronic components and techniques.

Year 9

Textiles unit 1 – Wearable technology

What is wearable tech? Is it a gimmick? How is it currently used? Consider aesthetic vs performance enhancing properties. What would you design? This asks students to evaluate existing wearable technology products and generate ideas for garments that include light, sensors temperature control and which are controlled by smart phones.

Textiles unit 2 – Para-triathlete design challenge

How do para-athletes customise their sportswear to accommodate their needs? Students develop a design specification from research into the restrictions para-athletes face. Working as part of a team they must develop designs in creative ways and present these, giving reasons for their final choices.

Textiles unit 3 – Festival headgear

Head gear is a popular feature at many types of festivals – why is this and how is it used? Choose a festival and create designs to be worn. What happens when a client changes the design brief part-way through a project? Adapting designs to be made within a given time and resource constraints. Evaluate prototypes and suggest modifications for a circular economy approach.

Product design unit 1 – Evolution and the future

Through evaluating products that have changed e.g. can openers, mobile phones, irons, vacuum cleaners etc. students gain an understanding of evolution and what factors make products change. Using the concept of biomimicry, they design the next generation of their chosen product for the future.

Product design unit 2 – Advanced modelling

Developing skills in CAD/CAM to help communication and modelling. Students explore modelling and advanced modelling using CAD/CAM and 3D printing before producing an electronic portfolio and using CAD software to produce a model of their choice.

Systems and control unit 1 – Knight Rider – computerised cars

Key stage 4 program of study:

AQA Art and Design – Textile Design

This course offers students the chance to work in a practical, visual format while developing real-world skills in sewing, stitching and construction. These skills can develop hand eye coordination, planning, idea development, evaluation, organisation and creativity. Students are encouraged to learn about materials through experimentation, combining art and design creativity with hands on practical skills. During the course students develop skills in weaving, felting, stitching, appliqué, construction methods and printing. At every stage in the course students are moved to develop their own ideas, encouraging independent learning and problem-solving skills.

The possibilities are endless as this course encourages students to develop and follow through on their own ideas. Textile design is creative, enjoyable, varied and provides students with skills which will support them throughout their lives.

The course is made up for two components, the first is a portfolio of work worth 60% of the final grade and is comprised of two practical projects. The second component is the externally set task worth 40% of the final grade, this consist of a research sketchbook and a 10-hour final piece.

Impact

Our DT curriculum aims to promote the employability, problem solving, collaborative and independent working, creativity, and morality of all the pupils at PMGHS, so that they not only achieve outstanding academic grades, develop a deeper understanding of our ever-changing world.

Through learning and practicing design and making skills, evaluation and analysis, the principles that DT cultivates for our students are ones of striving for change and innovation. Our impact is to promote, inspire, motivate every pupil to make positive changes within their lives and hopefully, in the future, the lives of our society as a whole.