At Beckfoot Thornton, we prepare students to participate in an increasingly technological world.
Students will learn from wider influences on Design and Technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Students will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise.
We want our students to develop their ability to research and critically analyse existing products, the work of past and contemporary designers that will inform their own creative responses. They will develop and refine their practical skills that allow students to realise their design intentions as they make products.
Enrichment
To allow students to work independently and in groups, developing communication and thinking skills that are valued.
To use imagination and creativity to design and make innovative products, solving given problems
Assessment
Internal assessments and regular feedback take place throughout the academic year, this helps focus and our delivery of the subject.
KS4 Specification
Careers
The skills and knowledge gained from studying Design Technology are valued in a huge number of sectors within the modern world. Interior Designer, Design Engineer, CAD Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Sound Engineer, Architect, Steel Fabricator, Surveyor, Joiner, Aeronautical Engineer, Robotics Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Video Game design, Product Designer are just a few roles that use Design and Technology.
Curriculum Overview
| Year | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Introduction to health and safety in Design Technology, planes project to familiarise students with basic hand tools, equipment and skills | Presentation techniques and development of ideas. Blockhead (wo0od based) project to improve and develop skills using hand tools and basic workshop equipment | Introduction to metals as a material, bottle opener project. Cutting and shaping metal using basic hand tool. The importance of finishing material to a good standard |
| Year 8 | Study of designer De Stilj, introduction to casting (pewter keyring) | Use of CAD/CAM to produce a detailed mould, using appropriate PPE and equipment to cast a keyring, finish to a high standard | Automata or Bug Hotel project. (wood based). Furthe develop skills and understanding of how materials can be used to produce a product. CAD/CAM and mechanisms. |
| Year 9 | Night Light/table lamp project. Further development of skills and knowledge of a variety of materials including polymers. Design ideas including biomimicry | Introduction to electronics producing circuit for light/lamp. Soldering, symbols, connectivity and how components are linked together to create a circuit | Chair project. The importance of research and how the work of others can be the basis of a product. Prototypes and modelling |
| Year 10 | Truck project – working drawing and standards associated with these, manipulation of a variety of materials including polymers using basic hand tools and unfamiliar equipment, in particular the strip heater, CAD/CAM, 2D design | Alessi project. Designer study. Product analysis. Metal based project (aluminium sheet). Processes associated sheet metal. Finishing and polishing | Toothbrush project. Introduction to anthropometrics and ergonomics. Understanding and using data to improve a products success, producing for a 95th percentile |
| Year 11 | AQA 8552 Design Technology specification. Producing a portfolio using one of the given contextual challenges. Identifying and investigating a variety of sources to enable design ideas to be produced | Generation of ideas matched against the specification to focus design thinking and highlight areas for further development. This will include many iterations, modelling and prototyping | Design realisation. Production of final product/prototype using a variety of tools, equipment which will include CAD/CAM. Testing and evaluation of the product and the project as a whole. Preparation for examination |