The faculty of D&T / Art / Food aim to take students on a creative journey where they select, use and understand a variety of skills, techniques, materials, and media. During this journey they will gain life-long confidence, independence and produce quality outcomes that they are proud of.
A wide range of topics involving resistant materials is covered throughout the curriculum, including learning about the different types of materials and their uses; designing and creating with CAD and lasers, milling machines. Learn more about the curriculum in detail and how homework is set below:
Year 7
Term 1 |
| Fun Fob
Design Skills – This project focuses on the student’s ability to present information in a number of forms including sequencing for production planning. The importance of presenting information on packaging is covered using both test and images. Creative thinking is also used in the process of designing, and packaging their own design of a key fob. Computer Aided Design is integral to this project. Practical Skills – Students work with plastics using both traditional hand based manufacturing methods and Computer Aided Systems. |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing products. |
| How to help:
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Term 2 |
| Steady Hand Game
Design Skills – The Design Skills focused on in this project are research skills and creative thinking. Students design a theme for their game and research other games and what themes of shapes their game might take. |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing products. |
| How to help:
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Term 3 |
| Structures
Design Skills – The Skills focused on in this project are team work, presenting information and evaluation of their own performance. Students work in a team taking on different responsibilities and roles. They are assessed on their evaluative presentation that needs to give all the key information about the process they have been through and they are also assessed on the quality of the evaluation of their work. Practical Skills – The students use the range of making skills developed over the course of Year 7 to build a small structure which has to be tested with weights. The structure with the heighest strength to weight ratio is the winner – so the teams need to have high levels of accuracy to reduce the weight of the materials used. |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing products. |
| How to help:
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Year 8
Term 1 |
| Gadget Stand
Design Skills – The students learn how to manipulate and modify an existing graphic using CAD. They use this to produce a stand for a phone or tablet, in acrylic using the laser cutter. Practical Skills – The students learn various techniques used to join wood, metal and plastic in the workshop. Learn how to accurately mark out, cut, join and finish in different materials. |
| Homework: Students will carry out an evaluation of their gadget stands, bringing in feedback and evidence of testing with their families. |
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Term 2 |
| Gumball Machine (new project)
Design Skills – Using questionnaires and product analysis to help design development. Designing to a specification. Practical Skills – In the half of this project, students will learn about larger scale production. The class will adopt roles in a simulated factory to work as a team and create a batch produced sweet dispenser. The students then use their design and making skills to adapt this batch produced design to produce a customised and fun design using a wide variety of the materials, processes and skills obtained during the previous project. Mechanisms and Moments – The students learn about movement and mechanisms, so that they can understand how movement can be used to do work (drop sweets). |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing products. |
| How to help:
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Term 3 |
| Frog Moisture Tester
Practical Skills – Developing knowledge of electronic systems through working with electronic components to build input/process/output circuits. Using vacuum forming techniques to produce packaging for electronic circuits. Assembling electronic products and fault finding. |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing products. |
| How to help:
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Year 9
Term 1 |
| Jewellery & Hardwood Box
Students will be working in teak to produce a high quality miniature box which could be used to store jewellery or other small items. This extends the skills that they have already gained working in softwood in Years 7 and 8 by using more challenging wood joints and achieving a near perfect polished finish. In addition to this students will design an engraved lid using 2D CAD (computer aided design). |
| Homework: Resistant Materials- Students to extend their learning in the jewellery box task by designing an original black and white image for the lid of their box and bringing it to school for scanning and engraving. Students will extend their learning through a subject-specific literacy task and with a numeracy based drawing exercise. |
| How to help:
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Term 2 |
| Block Clock
Design Skills – Using questionnaires and product analysis to help design development. Designing to a specification. Practical Skills – The students learn to model and then make a block clock using a wide variety of the materials, processes and skills obtained during the previous project. The students produce a sophisticated and challenging clock which has a high quality finish |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing products. |
| How to help:
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Term 3 |
| T – Shirt Printing
Design Skills – The students learn how to create or modify and manipulate exiting graphics on the computer to produce a screen printing design. Practical Skills – The students will use the skills they have learned on the KS3 course to produce a one-off custom printed t-shirt. They also design and print a label for their new clothing brand. |
| Homework: Students will carry out research at home using the Internet and other secondary sources to complete a product analysis of an existing clothing products. |
| How to help:
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Year 10
WJEC Engineering Level 1 / 2 Award
Engineering – Term 1 |
| 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 realistic work-related contexts.
Study Areas: Manufacturing: The students will make a metal screwdriver in a personalised presentation box. They will be in the workshops turning on the centre lathes, shaping and finishing ferrous and non-ferrous metals, knurling, drilling & thread cutting. Knowledge and understanding: Safety in the workshop. Heat treatment of carbon steels including annealing. Permanent / non permanent fastenings. Technical language & terminology. Ferrous, non ferrous metal & alloys. Joining metals using mechanical fastenings, and heat – gas and electric welding, brazing, soft soldering. Engineering Mathematics – volumes /areas / quantity calculations / costings. Designing Skills: Interpreting 3rd angle orthographic drawings, drawing to British Standards, dimensioning, using 2D CAD. |
| Homework:
Studying engineering materials, manufacturing, industrial processes and product case studies. Revision required for small class tests and the end-of-topic metals test. |
| How to help:
www.technologystudent.com/materials |
Engineering – Term 2 |
| Unit 1 (9791): Engineering Design – 30 Guided Learning Hours
The purpose of this unit is: for learners to analyse engineered products in order to propose design solutions to meet requirements. What makes an MP3 player work? How can you make a games controller for young children? Can you make a basketball post that fits into a backpack? How does a ‘wind-up’ Manufacturers, sales teams, technical teams will often ask engineers to find answers to these types of questions. Design consultancies or research and development teams will aim In this unit, you will learn about that design process. You will learn how to analyse a product so you can see what features make it work and how it meets certain requirements. You will This assessed unit follows the following format: AC1.1 – Identify features that contribute to the primary function of engineered products. Features:
AC1.2 – Identify features of engineered products that meet requirements of a brief. Requirements:
AC1.3 – Describe how engineered products function. Function:
AC2.1 – Draw engineering design solutions (using British Standards). Draw:
AC2.2 – Communicate design ideas. Communicate:
AC3.1 – Develop creative ideas for engineered products. Creative ideas:
AC3.2 – Evaluate options for design solutions. Evaluate:
Evaluation techniques:
AC3.3 – Produce design specifications. Design specifications:
Note that the students will not be required to make this product – but they will need to model it either physically or in a 3D CAD package. |
| Homework:
Studying engineering materials, manufacturing, industrial processes and product case studies. Disassembling and investigating existing manufactured products. |
| How to help:
www.technologystudent.com/materials |
Engineering – Term 3 |
| Unit 3 (9793): Solving Engineering Problems – 30 Guided Learning Hours
This term the students will focus on preparing for the 90 minute examination held in May/June:
The purpose of this unit is: for learners to use their knowledge and understanding of engineering processes and material properties to solve problems. What materials can be used to go into space? Are some vacuum cleaners really innovative? How important was the development of the jet engine? Do robots make better engineers than people? How do I install a gate? How can engineers help communities after an earthquake? How do engineers use computers and technology? How do I tell steel from aluminium? Does it matter? Engineers can have a major impact on industry and society. The achievements they have made have improved the quality of our everyday life, from the buildings we live and work in to the transport we use to get around and how we enjoy our leisure time. Engineers are able to find solutions to problems, whether it is adapting or combining materials used to produce a product to make it withstand severe weather conditions or fixing materials in a different way to make something more portable. Problem solving is critical to working in engineering. In this unit you will learn about how engineers in the past have found solutions to problems and how other engineers use their ideas to solve problems today. You will learn about materials, processes and maths that engineers use and how they are used to solve problems. In solving problems, you will learn to follow a process and develop drawing skills to communicate your solutions. In the examination, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the following aspects of engineering; AC1.1 describe engineering developments Developments:
AC1.2 explain effects of engineering achievements Effects:
AC1.3 explain how environmental issues affect engineering applications Environmental issues:
Applications:
AC2.1 describe properties required of materials for engineering products engineering products
Properties:
AC2.2 explain how materials are tested for properties Tests:
AC2.3 select materials for a purpose Materials:
AC3.1 describe engineering processes Processes:
AC3.2 describe applications of engineering processes Applications:
AC4.1 use mathematical techniques for solving engineering problems Mathematical techniques:
AC4.2 convert between isometric sketches and 3rd angle orthographic projections Convert:
AC4.3 analyse situations for engineering problems Analyse:
AC4.4 propose solutions in response to engineering problems Propose solutions:
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| Homework: Students need to study their notes and text books, as well as completing practice questions. |
| How to help:
www.technologystudent.com Joints www.technologystudent.com Equip
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Year 11
Engineering – Term 1 |
| Unit 2 (9792): Producing Engineering Products – 60 Guided Learning Hours
The students will mostly be making in this Conrolled Assessment unit. This term the students will focus on completing the second assessed unit, which is internally assessed and externally moderated. The actual work takes place in school under controlled conditions, over approximately 10 lessons. The student will be designing a product, following guidance from the examination board. The purpose of this unit is: for learners to use skills developed to produce an engineered product. What are vernier callipers? How do I know how to make something? How do I use a centre lathe? Can you use computers in engineering? Can I use a saw to cut metal? How important is it to get measurements right? It doesn’t matter whether making parts for space travel or toys, for bridges or power generation, using the right tools and equipment in a safe way is critical to production engineering. Production engineers, skilled machinists and maintenance engineers will use a range of engineering processes, equipment and tools to make engineered products. They will work from engineering information, whether provided by design consultants, quality managers or colleagues, or they will produce their own information as they try out different ways of engineering a product. Through this unit, you will learn to interpret different types of engineering information in order to plan how to make engineered products. You will develop the skills needed to work safely AC1.1 interpret engineering drawings Interpret:
Sources:
AC1.2 interpret engineering information Engineering information:
AC2.1 identify resources required Resources:
AC2.2 sequence required activities Sequence:
AC3.1 use tools in production of engineering products Tools:
Health and safety:
AC3.2 use equipment in production of engineering products Equipment:
Health and safety:
AC4.1 use engineering processes in production of engineered products Materials:
Engineering processes:
Health and safety:
AC4.2 evaluate quality of engineered products Evaluate:
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| Homework: |
| How to help:
Please encourage positively the need to keep to deadlines and ask your child to show you their designs. They will be able to do theory research using the internet. |
Engineering – Term 2 |
| Continuation and finishing off Unit 2 (please see above) |
| Homework: Students will be given specific tasks to do at home, if & when required. They will also continue to get past paper practice questions.
How to help: Please encourage positively the need to keep to deadlines and ask your child to show you their designs. They will be able to do theory research using the internet |
Engineering – Term 3 |
| Students who have successfully passed the examination in Year 10 will have now completed this course. For students resitting their exam – please see the information for Term 3 in Year 10.
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| Homework: See Term 3 in Year 10. |
| How to help: See Term 3 in Year 10. |