“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original”
– Ken Robinson

Powerful Knowledge in Design Technology

Powerful knowledge is the realisation that most of the items or products we interact with on a daily basis are designed by humans, for humans, for a reason.

Real world problems are used to develop students’ understanding of the huge impact and improvements designers can make to housing, transport, communications and everyday objects that we use. Substantive knowledge is developed in the following areas:

  • Design movements, when they occurred and key characteristics, such as; Renaissance, Bauhaus, De Stijl, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modernism.
  • Materials and their properties. Their original source and the benefits and challenges they may have.
  • Manufacturing techniques and what technological advances are available in order to prepare for future challenges.
  • The responsibilities of a designer to consider social, economic, moral and environmental implications.
  • The needs and wants of a client including; function, safety, ergonomics, anthropometrics, aesthetics, materials and cost.

Curriculum Features

Our curriculum is built around problem-based learning. Students are grouped in Years 7 & 8 and taught to provide solutions amicably and realistically. In Year 9 they are taught to generate initial group solutions which are then further developed on an individual basis.

  • Year 7 Transport: Focus on modern transport technologies – Solution based project to cover, modern materials and aerodynamics – Individual prototyping – with team decisions made as to the best outcome, oracy and rhetoric an essential feature of Year 7 learning.
  • Year 8 Sustainable living: Focus on Sustainable living – Solution based project to cover – materials, Biomimicry and sustainable power-  Design work in teams with Prototyping throughout
  • Year 9 Bionics: Focus on problems for others – Solution based project to cover, basic materials and the concept of Bionics – Prototyping throughout.

Co-curricular Enrichment

We offer subject specific enrichment every lunchtime and after school, trips and visits relating to all areas – galleries, workshops and places of employment, industry. We have visiting specialists in all fields – STEM specialists, practitioners, designers, ex-students to inspire and motivate, plus mentoring by KS5 students. Competitions take place in all subject areas, accessible to all. Some competitions target specific groups. We also offer Unit 6 – for practical classes in specialist areas – Graphics, Product Design and Textiles. This will enable students to apply extra curricular-gained knowledge to timetabled lessons or for use as standalone skills-based learning.