Design and Technology
Design and Technology Curriculum Intent
Explore the needs
Create solutions that demonstrate how the needs can be met
Evaluate how well the needs have been met
Design and Technology is about giving all students the opportunity to develop their capability, combining their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding, in order to create quality products that improve people’s lives and have a positive impact on the world around us.
We want Bradfield DT students to be outstanding independent problem solvers and to do this learning will be based on the core principals of Design and Technology, these core principals form the spine of all KS3 lessons and flow into KS4.
The core principals are:
- Identifying requirements
- Learning from existing products and practice
- Implications of wider issues
- Design thinking and communication
- Material considerations
- Technical understanding
- Manufacturing processes and techniques
- Viability of design solutions
Design and Technology Key Stage 3 Content
In all years at Key Stage 3, students will follow a rotation, which gives them the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in Design and Technology, Engineering and Food Preparation and Nutrition. We offer a broad range of units including:
- Textiles
- Computer Aided Design and manufacture
- Working with metals, plastics and woods
- Electronics
- Graphics
- Food preparation and nutrition.
Key Stage 4 Design & Technology GCSE Curriculum Content
The course is split into two sections - the NEA (non exam assessment) is worth 50% of the overall grade and the formal examination makes up the other 50%.
GCSE Design & Technology is a practical subject which requires the application of knowledge and understanding when developing ideas, planning, producing products and evaluating them. The course helps students develop the ability to design and make products with creativity and originality, using a range of materials and techniques.
Much of the practical work will focus on wood, metal and plastics as the main materials. Students will use a wide range of machinery, materials, processes, hand tools and equipment throughout the course.
Key Stage 4 Engineering Design GCSE Curriculum Content
The course is split into two sections - the NEA (non exam assessment) is worth 50% of the overall grade and the formal examination makes up the other 50%.
GCSE Design & Technology is a practical subject which requires the application of knowledge and understanding when developing ideas, planning, producing products and evaluating them. The course helps students develop the ability to design and make products with creativity and originality, using a range of materials and techniques.
Much of the work will focus on mechanical components, electrical components and electrical systems. Students will use a wide range of machinery, materials, processes, hand tools and equipment throughout the course.
Key Stage 4 Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE Curriculum Content
GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course which focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure students develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students' practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition and the science behind the food we eat.
Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:
- Food, nutrition and health
- Food science
- Food safety
- Food choice
- Food provenance
Students will undertake a range of design and make projects and science experiments to build skills and develop subject knowledge throughout Year 10.
The controlled assessment completed in Year 11 is split into two tasks: Food Investigation and Food Preparation.
Food Investigation
During food investigation students' understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients will be assessed.
Food Preparation
During food preparation students' knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking, presentation of food and application of nutrition related to the chosen task will be assessed. Students will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a set timeframe, planning in advance how this will be achieved.
Engineering Technical Award - Level 2 Curriculum Content
The Engineering Level 2 Award provides a more practical alternative to GCSE. The qualification is based around the world of engineering and aims to introduce students to the various strands available within the field. The qualification offers students the chance to develop knowledge, skills and understanding through tasks set in a realistic work-related context. This will give students a true insight into careers within engineering and the ability to apply learning in a vocational environment.
The qualification is built around 3 units. Each unit has an applied, hands-on purpose which acts as a focus for the learning in the unit. This means the learners are enthused, engaged and motivated to study engineering. The three units are:
- Engineering Design, which is internally assessed
- Producing Engineering Products, which is internally assessed
- Solving Engineering Problems, which is externally assessed.