Design & Technology

About Design and Technology

The All Hallows Design & Technology department consists of 7 specialist teachers and 2 specialist technicians 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)
• Mrs Pascucci – (Coordinator of Design & Technology)
• Mr Carr – Teacher of Computing and Design & Technology
• Mrs Caw – Teacher of Food, Design & Technology and Computing
• Miss Chambers – Teacher of Art and Design & Technology
• Mrs Midgley – Teacher of Computing and Design & Technology
• Mrs Rostron – Teacher of Computing and Design & Technology
• Miss N Branson – 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 40+ computers that operate specialist design software such as 2D Design, Circuit Wizard, Google Sketchup, Speedstep and Adobe Photoshop.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum

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.

In Year 7, students study through a variety of Design and making activities:

Technology in society: This 2 week module introduces the pupils to Design Technology and how important it is to design with the environment in mind.  The concept of the Six R principles and ‘product life cycle.’  Pupils use an old plastic bottle and remake it into a useful product.

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. In conjunction with BAE systems and Raising Robots, All Hallows has developed a problem solving robotics challenge called Earthquake rescue. Through the assembly and programming of a Lego Spike Prime robot kits, students have the opportunity to investigate key Technology, Computing and Geographical principles such as problem solving, motion, gears, sensors, Scratch, plate tectonics and more. Students learn to adapt their robots to be able to complete tasks and solve real world problems 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:

Pencil cases:  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 pencil case, applying colour and pattern, adding a zip, 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 holder: 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 inclusive design and smart 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.

Mission to Mars: This 7 week module focusses on the basics of CAD. In particular OnShape which is an industry standard 3D modelling software. Pupils will work in groups on a particular context based around Mars. Pupils will then develop a range of solutions to a design problem which will lead to a 3D Printed model for a Mars Rocket and a EV3 modelling based Mars rover prototype. Students will use, design, annotation, modelling and problem solving techniques. Pupils will engage in testing and evaluation opportunities as well as presentations at the end of the project. Pupils are encouraged to be as self-directed as possible and draw on inspiration from new and future technologies and smart materials when designing.

VEX IQ Robots: This 7 week module focuses on robotics. Students have the opportunity to assemble, programme and control a number of VEX IQ clawbots. During the assembly of the clawbots 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.

Year 9 students select 3 of the following 5 design and make activities to study, giving them the opportunity to specialise in areas of specific interest to them:

Technical drawing: All students study this 3 week module that will give them the opportunity to learn a variety of technical drawing techniques from Isometric, Orthographic and Exploded drawings. This will enable them to communicate their design ideas for future projects.

Product design lighting: This 10 week module will teach the pupils how to design and make an electronic product to solve a real world problem for a client. Modelled closely on the new GCSE requirements, students will have the opportunity to carry out initial research, client interviews and product analysis tasks which will help them with the design, development and programming of a microcontroller and a casing to meet their clients needs. Students will learn the systems approach to PCB design, as well as a range on manufacturing techniques that are suitable for producing electronic housings such as Laser cutting.

Ipad cases: This 10 week module in the Textiles room involves students designing and making a cover to protect an ipad. 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 10 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.

Amplifier and Jewellery: This 10 week module focuses on Design and making techniques. Students have the opportunity to use a range of resistant materials to produce a passive speaker and a keyring. Students will use all 3 main resistant materials (woods, metals, plastics) and will use a wide variety of manufacturing techniques including Laser cutting, 3D Printing, Pewter casting, workshop machinery and hand tools. The project also incorporates CAD use in the form of OnShape and investigation into past and present designers. Students are able to develop their knowledge of design strategies through Orthographic drawings, initial sketches, exploded diagrams and isometric sketching.

Architecture: This 10 week module will teach the pupils how to design and prototype a piece of architecture.. Pupils will work with a variety of CAD packages including 2D Design and OnShape. Students will gain a good working knowledge of compliant materials as well as a selection of decoration and quick assembly techniques. Students will have the opportunity to develop rapid prototyping skills through the use of the 3D Printer, as well as mathematical and Personal development skills through the land and materials purchasing and ownership tasks.

Key Stage 4 Curriculum

Students choose their GCSE course at the end of Year 9. The range of Design & Technology GCSE syllabuses available to pupils during 2019/20 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:  http://www.edexcel.org.uk        www.aqa.org.uk

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 students on an annual visit to The Big Bang Fair in Birmingham as well as local trips to a wide range of STEM competitions such as VEX Robotics, FutureChef, Faraday challenge, Rotary Challenge and EEP 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. The department runs STEM fortnight each year which encompasses many of these external competitions, but also gives pupils and staff opportunities each day to win prizes and enter internal STEM based competitions. Within the last year, the STEM club has won several external competitions such as the regional Rotary Club competition and the IET Faraday competition. They were also runners up at the EEP Robotics competition which took them to the national finals in Birmingham. Our Y9 STEM group finished third in the North West VEX Robotics challenge 2022. 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.