Design Technology

GCSE Design Technology	GCSE Design Technology - Textiles Focus	GCSE Food & Nutrition
WJEC EDUQAS Construction & the Built Environment	Cambridge National award in Child Development	EDUQAS: Level 1 / 2 Vocational Award in Engineering (Technical Award)

 

GCSE Design Technology

Key Stage 4 pupils can opt to study the new GCSE Design & Technology. The subject content covers three key areas:

1. Core technical principles - to extend the pupils' knowledge and understanding of the subject and gain a breadth of core technical knowledge and understanding. This will help to make informed decisions when designing.
2. Specialist technical principles – pupils should develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of specialist technical principles including: selecting materials and components – forces and stresses – ecological and social footprint – sources and origins - selection of materials or components - using and working with materials - stock forms, types and sizes - scales of production - specialist techniques and processes - surface treatments and finishes.
3. Designing and Making Principles - Students should know and understand that all design and technology activities take place within a wide range of contexts. They should also understand how the prototypes they develop must satisfy wants or needs and be fit for their intended use. For example, the home, school, work or leisure. They will need to demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of designing and making principles in the completion of a design and making a piece of coursework.

In Year 11 the pupils complete a None Examined Assessment which consists of building a design portfolio and manufacturing a practical product following the requirements of a design brief set by AQA( Awarding Body) These two elements combine to make up 50% of the students' final grade.

Pupils also sit an end-of-year examination for 50% of the final grade.

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GCSE Design Technology- Textiles Focus

Written Examination- 50% of the final grade

Non-Examined Assessment- 50% of the final grade

The GCSE Design and Technology-Textiles course covers three areas-

Core Technical Principles-

All pupils study the core principles gaining knowledge and understanding that allow them to make effective design choices.

Specialist Technical Principles-

Pupils study technical principles, again, to help make effective design choices. This work is covered in the specialist area of Textiles.

This area will cover topics including-

Fibres and Fabrics, Fabrics and their properties, Joining and shaping fabrics, Dyeing and Printing. Pupils will learn and develop a range of practical skills enabling them to make a range of textile products.

Designing and Making Principles-

This work is undertaken in year 11 of the course and is a "design and make" project. This is the coursework element of the subject worth 50% of the GCSE grade.

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GCSE Food & Nutrition

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course which focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure students develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students' practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition.

Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:

• Food, nutrition and health
• Food science
• Food safety
• Food choice
• Food provenance.

Upon completion of this course, students will be qualified to go on to further study, or embark on an apprenticeship or full-time career in the catering or food industries.

In Year 11 the pupils complete two None Examined Assessments. This includes undertaking a practical investigation into the working characteristics of food materials and a portfolio demonstrating students’ ability to plan, prepare, cook and present a range of dishes about a given topic. Pupils will also sit an end-of-year examination worth 50% of the final grade.

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WJEC EDUQAS Construction & the Built Environment

Would you love the opportunity to transform the world around you?

• Are you looking to learn about new technologies, materials and processes that are involved in construction projects?
• Do you want to develop a good foundation for a successful career in construction?
• Problem-solving, for example, when planning and working to complete different construction scenarios.
• Overcoming issues of quality and being able to rectify construction and engineering problems that are already in situ.
• Carrying out engineering and construction practical tasks.
• Understanding the many different areas and careers within construction and construction engineering.
• Revising and studying course and unit content to successfully pass the two externally set examinations.

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Cambridge National award in Child Development

Child development traditionally falls within the Technology Faculty. All pupils will learn the essential knowledge and understanding for child development, covering reproduction, parental responsibility, antenatal care, birth, postnatal checks and care, conditions for development, childhood illnesses and child safety. Pupils sit an end-of-year examination worth 50% of the final grade.  Across years 10 and 11 the pupils also complete a variety of none examined assessment pieces. Pupils will gain knowledge of the equipment needs of babies and young children and an understanding of the factors to be considered when choosing the appropriate equipment for a nursery. They will also gain knowledge of nutrition and hygiene practices and will be allowed to undertake practical work and evaluate dietary choices. Pupils also undertake a child study where they gain knowledge of, and skills in, developing activities to observe development norms in children up to the age of five.

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EDUQAS: Level 1 / 2 Vocational Award in Engineering (Technical Award)

Do you ever look around your home and think of handy products that could improve people’s lives or get inspired by the amazing feats of engineering all around you?
Are you creative, and want to start building the skills you need for a successful career in the industry? 

The course for Engineering is set up to prepare pupils for the world of further study at college and university in areas of engineering, along with giving those who wish to follow an apprenticeship route the opportunity to study different areas of the industry before deciding on their specialism.

The course aims to use real-life situations to manufacture a range of products from different materials, safely produce one-off products, and use CNC to produce in quantity.

To study this course pupils must enjoy:

• Problem-solving within different engineering scenarios.
• Solving problems by exploring different engineering manufacturing processes, tools and equipment.
• Planning a sequence of the process. This will involve managing your time independently and identifying the resources you will need, as well as reviewing your plans if necessary.
• Overcoming issues of quality and being able to rectify engineering problems that are already in situ.
• Carrying out engineering and practical tasks.
• Revising and studying course and unit content to successfully pass the one externally set examination.
• Carrying out mathematical calculations and scientific experiments to solve problems.
• Working with different materials to design and manufacture a range of different products. 

If you have answered yes to the questions above, Engineering is a possible option choice for you.

What will I study?

This qualification is made up of 3 units:

Unit 1: Manufacturing engineering products

• Have the opportunity to interpret different types of engineering information to plan how to manufacture engineering products.
• Develop knowledge, understanding and skills in using a range of engineering tools and equipment to manufacture and test a final product.

Unit 2: Designing engineering products

• Explore how an engineered product is adapted and improved over time. It offers the opportunity to apply your knowledge and understanding to adapt an existing component, element or part of the product that you will have manufactured for Unit 1.

Unit 3: Solving engineering problems

• Introduced to a range of considerations that impact engineering design and how modern engineering has had an impact on modern-day life at home, work and in society in general.

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