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Design Technology
Design Technology and Food and Nutrition are inspiring, rigorous and practical subjects. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products and dishes that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.
Students acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on other subjects such as Mathematics, Science, ICT and Art. They learn to become resourceful, innovative and capable citizens.
High quality Design Technology and Food and Nutrition education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth, health and wellbeing of the nation and through evaluation of products students develop a critical understanding of their impact on daily life and the wider world.
FACILITIES
The department has 6 specialist rooms:
- 2 multi material workshops, fully equipped to teach Product Design
- Electronics suite
- State-of-the-art Food Technology kitchen
- CAD CAM suite including 2 laser cutters, three 3D printers and a CNC router to enable boys to design and make industrial quality products
- Multi-purpose design and engineering room
Key Stage 3
In Years 7 and 8 Design and Technology is taught in small, mixed form classes of 18–23 students.
Both years 7 and 8 each include 14 weeks of Food and 21 weeks exploring wood, metals and plastics through Product Design
An example rotation is as follows:
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|
Rotation 1 7 weeks |
Rotation 2 7 weeks |
Rotation 3 7 weeks |
Rotation 4 7 weeks |
Rotation 5 7 weeks |
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Year 7 |
You are what you eat A variety of different activities which encourage students to understand why a Healthy Diet is important. |
Cooking Practising a range of essential and transferable food skills to make Salads, soup, rice, pasta, flapjacks and rock cakes. |
Spinner Woodwork and metalwork hand tools and processes are used to produce a fun working toy.
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Peter Cast Keyring Students use CAD CAM to design and build a keyring which is then cast in metal and finished to a high standard. |
LED Lamp A colour change LED lamp that explores basic circuit construction and is housed in a free form acrylic animal. |
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Year 8 |
The World of Food A series of student focused activities, challenging students to consider where our foods come from and why we eat what we eat.
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Further Cooking More advanced skills to enable students to make a wide range of multi-cultural dishes including spaghetti Bolognese, risotto, stir fry, macaroni cheese, curry and pizza. |
Pencil Sharpener Pupils construct a challenging plastic and wooden construction to sharpen pencils and collect the shavings. |
Passive Speaker Careful planning and wooden layered construction produces a highly personalised phone speaker.
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Clocks Pupils explore Graphic Design elements to create a net-base and a decorative three dimensional outcome. |
Key Stage 4
YEARS 9, 10 AND 11
There are two GCSE Design and Technology subjects currently on offer. Both GCSE options involve a design portfolio and practical outcome which accounts for 50% of their total GCSE. Both are rigorous courses which help to develop relevant life skills including problem solving, creativity and resourcefulness.
AQA GCSE FOOD AND NUTRITION
This GCSE specification covers a range of food related skills and knowledge including cooking and presentation of food, sensory evaluation, nutrition, food science, new product development, healthy eating and recent environmental issues.
AQA GCSE PRODUCT DESIGN
This course encourages a practical approach to problem solving, following a series of set briefs that closely tie theory into a practical outcome, and allow students to design and make products with creativity and originality. They will experience a variety of practical disciplines and use a range of materials and techniques. It aims to equip pupils to design and produce products with broad consumer appeal and real market feasibility. Final projects adhere to one of three annual board set briefs, but offer enormous scope for personal creativity within these.
Key Stage 5
AQA DESIGN TECHNOLOGY: PRODUCT DESIGN A2
The AQA Product Design course encourages students to work with an external client to develop a solution to a real world problem, chosen with a focus on university courses. Students from both Watford Boys and Watford Girls produce a design portfolio and practical outcome which accounts for 50% of their total grade. Two examination papers at the end of the course account for the other 50% of the final grade.
The department has an enviable record of past students now leading their field in architecture, interior design, furniture making, various fields of engineering and transport design.
Exams & Assessments
Key Stage 4
AQA Product Design GCSE
Both GCSE options involve a design portfolio/practical outcome which accounts for 50% of the total GCSE, and an examination for the other 50%. Individual projects are internally assessed in the run up to the final piece, which is externally moderated, and commences in June of Year 10.
Key Stage 5
AQA Product Design A2
The design portfolio/ practical outcome and the examination again contribute 50% each toward the final grade. Carefully controlled interim guidance is given before the final practical is assessed and externally moderated.
Enrichment & Extra-curricular
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
These change throughout the year according to needs and requests from students but we currently run
- Product Design club for year 7/8
- After school year 8 baking club
- National competition clubs for year 9/10
VISITS
The department organises annual KS4 visits to explore relevant exhibitions or places of interest. Sixth form students regularly visit New Designers at the BDC in Islington and the Design Museum.