All Hallows Catholic High School
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Design & Technology
Curriculum
See our learning journey here…
The All Hallows Design & Technology department consists of 7 specialist teachers and 1 specialist technician who have a love & passion for Technology.
Our goal has always been, and will continue to be, to pass on this passion and love for our subjects to our students. We want to inspire future generations. We believe that Design & Technology at its best is about creative practical problem solving and innovation. Both of which play a huge part in improving human existence.
We believe that outstanding Design and Technology teaching forms the bridge between subjects like maths, and science and allows students to use these theoretical skills in real world problem solving. We believe the fundamentals of Design and Technology, such as creativity, critical thinking, user centred design, research, defining problems and having knowledge of the resources to address them, critiquing and assessing work, will help empower our students to implement change in this world.
We are enthusiastic about our subjects and we love it when we see students who share that passion and enthusiasm. We want to teach students in an engaging and practical way. We believe that the best innovators in any field have been given the opportunity, experience and tools, from an early age, to succeed, and that is what we aim to do for our students.
Staffing
Within Design and Technology we have specialist teachers to deliver the full curriculum to all students at both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. These are:
- Mr Jousiffe (Head of Technology)
- Mr Thomas (Assistant Headteacher)
- Mr Carr – Head of Computing and teacher of Design & Technology
- Mrs Caw – 2nd in Design & Technology and Teacher of Food & Nutrition
- Miss Chambers – Teacher of Art and Design & Technology
- Miss Dasu – Teacher of Design & Technology and Computing
- Miss Branson – Teacher of Computing and Design & Technology
- Mr Gilchrist – Teacher of RE and Design & Technology
- Mr Bignell – Head of Art and teacher of Design & Technology
- Mr P Langley – Design & Technology Technician
Accommodation
We have a purpose built department with 5 specialist subject rooms and one central ICT/CADCAM (computer aided design, computer aided manufacture) area. The department is equipped with 50+ computers that operate specialist design software such as 2D Design, Circuit Wizard, OnShape and Speedstep.
In Year 7, students study through a variety of Design and making activities:
Textiles Lanterns: This 7 week module, based in the Textiles area, introduces pupils to a range of different fabrics and the properties of natural and synthetic fibres. They gain inspiration from a different culture to create pattern repeats using CAD/CAM. They learn sewing machine skills to produce a lantern.
Food and Nutrition: This 7 week module provides an introduction to the principals of nutrition and health. The pupils will become competent in a range of cooking techniques for example using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in a variety of ways, using an awareness of sensory attributes, knife skills and developing healthy products. They will make healthy scones, soup, vegetable muffins and cous cous salad. They will also complete a scientific experiment.
Sounds good: This 7 week module will encourage pupils to analyse a topic, produce research and develop specifications. Pupils will then develop a range of solutions using design techniques and CAD to produce a laser cut headphone wrap.
Mood lamp: This 7 week module provides an introduction to both Resistant Materials and Electronics, combining features from both to create a Mood lamp that has a rainbow LED feature controlled by a light dependent resistor. Pupils will learn about the properties of materials, how to cut, file and finish Pine, laser engrave acrylic as well as how to populate and solder a circuit and health and safety.
Spike Prime Robotics: This 7 week module introduces students to Robotics. Through the assembly and programming of a Lego Spike Prime robot kits, students have the opportunity to investigate key Technology principles such as problem solving, motion, gears and levers. Students learn to adapt their robots to be able to complete tasks in a range of different physical environments through a variety of challenges.
In Year 8 students study through a variety of Design and making activities:
Textiles Phone Angel: This 7 week module, based in the Textiles area, increases pupils knowledge of fabrics and their properties. They learn how to apply colour and pattern onto fabric by hand and computer techniques. They design and make a cover for a phone angel, applying colour and pattern, adding applique work and other decorative techniques.
Food and Nutrition: During this 7 week module pupils will learn about a healthy diet, become competent in a range of cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients and adapt their own recipes. They will cook savoury dishes, investigate the function of ingredients and design and make products of their own.
Phone angel RM: During this 7 week module pupils will investigate a range of making skills in order to manufacture a mobile phone docking station. Students will study electronic systems and resistant materials. Students will be trained to use a wide range of workshop machinery, and electronics manufacturing equipment in order to produce a fully functional product. Students will experience working with a range of materials and will learn about their working properties during this topic.
CAD Phone Angel: This 7 week module incorporates a number of different drawing, CAD and designing elements. Pupils will develop a range of solutions leading to an OnShape model for wings/arms for their Phone angel. Pupils are encouraged to be as self-directed as possible and draw on inspiration from new and future technologies when designing.
Spike Prime Robotics: This 7 week module focuses on robotics. Students have the opportunity to assemble, programme and control a number of Spike Prime robots. During the assembly of the robots students will get hands on experience at using gears, levers, sensors, mechanisms and pulleys. Students will learn about how to use gear ratios, how to program their robots to respond to 6 different types of sensor and how to develop their robot so it can successfully complete a range of challenges in the schools VEX IQ arena.
In Year 9 students study through a variety of Design and making activities:
Product design GENIE lighting: This 6 week module will teach the pupils how to design and make an electronic product and programme it. Modelled closely on the new GCSE requirements, students will have the opportunity to develop and program a microcontroller to meet a users needs. Students will learn the systems approach to PCB design, as well as a range on manufacturing techniques that are suitable for producing electronic circuits.
Textiles Bucket hats: This 6 week module in the Textiles room involves students designing and making a bucket hat. During the 10 weeks pupils will have the opportunity to create designs based on Graffiti art, Pop Art, Vintage or Flower Power. Develop their skills with textile techniques such as sublimation printing, laser cutting, patchwork, applique, reverse applique, free hand embroidery and machine embroidery. Students will also learn about Smart fabrics including colour changing materials.
Food and Nutrition: During this 6 week module pupils will concentrate on investigating and making street food from around the world. Pupils will focus on investigating the foods available in different cultures, making a range of street foods and presenting them, experimenting with the functions of ingredients, working individually and in groups.
Pencil case: This 6 week module focuses on Resistant materials, CAD and 3D Printing. Students have the opportunity to use a range of resistant materials to produce a wooden pencil case. Students will use resistant materials (woods, metals, plastics) and will use a wide variety of manufacturing techniques including 3D Printing, laser cutting, workshop tools and hand tools. The project also incorporates advanced CAD in the form of OnShape to design the pencil case parts accurately and to produce engineering drawings to follow.
Architectural design: This 6 week module will teach the pupils how to design and prototype an architectural model. Pupils will work with on OnShape to design and then 3D Print a scale model of their outcome. Students will gain a good working knowledge of local sustainability issues as well as different considerations of architectural design.
Students choose their GCSE course at the end of Year 9. The range of Design & Technology GCSE syllabuses available to pupils are:
GCSE Design & Technology (AQA)
GCSE Design & Technology with Textiles focus (Edexcel)
GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition (AQA)
Further details on course content and specification can be found on their websites:
Course Content
Whichever Design & Technology course is chosen, students will be required to complete both a practical project and a terminal examination during Year 11. These are weighted as below for all of the Design & Technology subjects.
Non Examined Assessment (50%) + Examination (50%) = GCSE (100%)
Non Examined Assessment (NEA) Details
The Design & Technology NEA will consist of a single project that will be undertaken during Year 11. The student and the teacher will select this project from the list given by the examination board in June of Year 10. It will involve the production of a design folio and lead to the manufacture of a chosen project.
The Food preparation and Nutrition GCSE consists of 2 NEA tasks. Task 1 (15%) is a food investigation which involves a written report on a practical investigation and will assess students understanding of properties of ingredients etc. Task 2 (35%) is a food preparation assessment where students design and produce 3 dishes.
Examination Details
Students will start the preparation for the Design & Technology examinations at the beginning of Year 10. The paper is not tiered which allows all students full access to the whole range of grades 9-1. The examination papers will be completed during the summer term of Year 11.
Extra Curricular Activities and Visits
The department organises and runs several educational visits. The main one being a biannual West Coast of America trip run jointly with Geography. The trip takes Y9, 10 and 11 Geography, Technology and Computing students to San Francisco, through Silicon Valley (stopping for Visits at Google and the Tech interactive), to The Grand Canyon for a Helicopter ride, on to Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam, through Death Valley and on to LA to visit Universal studios and the Staples centre. We also take robotics students on a residential to the VEX Robotics nationals as well as numerous local trips to a wide range of STEM competitions such as VEX Robotics, FutureChef, Faraday challenge, Rotary Challenge and EEP Lego Robotics.
Design and Technology co-ordinate and run an extremely popular STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) club which is open to all year groups and gives students a huge range of amazing opportunities to participate in regional and national competitions. Within the last year, the STEM club has won several of these competitions such as the regional VEX Robotics tournament – qualifying for the nationals and finishing 4th. They were also finalists at the AluPro and EEP Robotics competitions, winning an award for presentation at the latter. We have also had a regional FutureChef competitor this year. STEM club runs on Mondays after school, is co-ordinated by Mrs Caw and involves a range of Technology and Computing staff.
Design and Technology have remodelled the key stage 3 curriculum to ensure that all of the requirements of the new GCSE DT are included and the skills and knowledge that the students will need to succeed are built in right from the beginning of year 7.
Progression has been carefully considered to ensure topics are covered in a logical order giving students the best opportunities to retain skills and knowledge.
