Design & Technology

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Design and Technology

As part of our delivery of the National Curriculum for Design and Technology at Holy Trinity Academy, students complete a range of varied projects that cover the five key areas of the curriculum content; designing, manufacture, evaluation, technical knowledge and food / nutrition. The following information provides an overview of projects that students will complete, covering these key areas of the curriculum at Key Stage 3.

Year 7

In Year 7, students all start the year completing a base line assessment and a skill-building ‘initial project’ for the first half-term prior to set changes in October. Once set changes have been implemented, students will then work on three projects during the school year, all of which will have elements of the GCSE and vocational options that we offer for Y9 – 11. Projects are run on a ‘carousel’, therefore the order in which students complete the projects outlined below will vary depending on their teaching group; students will complete all projects during the academic year.

Year 7 Curriculum Map

Year 8

In Year 8, again all students start the year completing skill-building ‘introduction project’ for the first half-term prior to set changes in October. Once set changes have been implemented, students will then work on three projects during the school year. As in Y7, projects are run on a ‘carousel’, therefore the order in which students complete the projects outlined below will vary depending on their teaching group; students will complete all projects during the academic year.

Year 8 Curriculum Map

 

Key Stage 4: Design and Technology (OCR Syllabus)

Component 1: Principles of Design and Technology (External Examination)

The exam component, titled ‘Principles of design and technology’, includes both the ‘core’ principles that all students must know, and ‘in-depth’ principles that are more specific to the materials or systems they have deeper practical and design experience of. The exam is worth 50% of the total GCSE grade for the subject.

Component 2: Iterative Design Challenge (Non-exam Assessment – ‘NEA’)

The ‘non-exam’ component is a design and make activity based around one of three themes set yearly by the exam board. Students produce a detailed portfolio of the development of their product from first ideas right the way through to manufacture and evaluation. This is submitted electronically in the form of an electronic portfolio and is also worth 50% of the total grade for the subject.

KS4 Curriculum Map

NCFE Level 1/2 Technical Award in Engineering

Course Overview: Level 1/2 Technical Award Engineering has 2 key components – an externally assessed examination paper (40% of the overall grade) and a ‘synoptic project’ (60% of the overall grade). More detailed information about each component can be found below …

 

What will the learner study as part of this qualification?

Unit 1 (External Examination): worth 40% of the overall grade and shows learners how to:

  • Understand engineering disciplines
  • Understand how science and maths are applied in engineering
  • Understand how to read engineering drawings
  • Understand properties and characteristics of engineering materials and know why specific materials are selected for engineering applications
  • Understand engineering tools, equipment and machines

 

Unit 2: Synoptic Project (Internally Assessed / Externally Verified) worth 60% of the overall grade and shows learners how to:

  • Produce hand-drawn engineering drawings
  • Produce Computer Aided Design (CAD) engineering drawings
  • Demonstrate production planning techniques
  • Demonstrate processing skills and techniques applied to materials for a manufacturing task
  • Understand how to create, present and review art and design work

 

NCFE Level 1/2 Technical Award in Engineering complements GCSE qualifications. This qualification is designed to match the rigour and challenge of GCSE study and is an equivalent qualification. The qualification is graded Level 1 Pass / Merit / Distinction / Distinction* and Level 2 Pass / Merit / Distinction / Distinction* (equivalent to GCSE grades 9 – 1). This qualification is appropriate for learners who are looking to develop a significant core of knowledge and understanding in engineering and be able to apply their learning.

 

The qualification has been designed to sit alongside the requirements of core GCSE subjects and is appropriate for learners who are motivated and challenged by learning through hands-on experiences and through content which is concrete and directly related to those experiences. It is distinct from GCSE Engineering, as it encourages the learner to use knowledge and practical tools to focus on developing transferrable skills in practical engineering accompanied by the theoretical knowledge to help with progression into employment and onto further education.

Eduqas Level 1/2 Hospitality and Catering

This Key Stage 4 food qualification that we offer equips students with practical skills and knowledge to enable them to gain a solid understanding of the hospitality and catering industry, as well as practical skills for work as part of a kitchen brigade. The qualification is covered by two units of study:

Unit 1: Hospitality and Catering Industry

This is a written paper worth 40% of the overall grade. Through completion of this unit, students will gain knowledge and understanding about a variety of topics related to the industry, including planning hospitality and catering provision, types of establishment, job roles, operational efficiency, legal and financial considerations and meeting customer expectations.

Unit 2: Hospitality and Catering in Action

This is a Controlled Assessment Task worth 60% of the overall grade. Students will be responding to a given brief, carry out preparation, cooking and present nutritional dishes, alongside answering assessment criteria in the form of coursework. The written ‘coursework’ covers types of provision and kitchen and front of house operation as well as personal safety in their preparation.

Key Stage 5 Curriculum

A Level Product Design

Exam Board: AQA

Course Outline: Students follow the AQA GCE Product Design specification which is split into the following three units.

Paper 1 is an externally assessed written paper, the focus of which is ‘Technical principles’.  This unit is worth 30% of the whole qualification.  Theory and homework tasks are set which develop student’s material knowledge and their knowledge of both workshop and industrial manufacture. Questions are a mixture of short answer and extended response.

Paper 2 is a second externally assessed written paper, which focuses on ‘Designing and making principles’. This unit is worth 20% of the A Level qualification. Questions are a mixture of short answer and extended response questions. Exam paper comprises of two sections:

  • Section A: Product Analysis (30 marks)

Up to 6 short answer questions based on visual stimulus of product(s).