Design & Technology

The Design & Technology (D&T) department offers equal opportunities to all pupils. We offer a broad, balanced curriculum, which allows pupils to achieve their potential through design and manufacturing.

D&T fosters a wide range of desirable qualities; pupils cooperate with one another and have a responsible attitude towards health and safety. Pupils develop lively, enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills, both on their own and in groups.

We work together as an enthusiastic team and promote an environment where all pupils develop personal responsibility and self-motivation but consider the needs and achievements of others.

Years 7-9

D&T is the practical application of science, art, and graphics. We teach a variety of skills from traditional to modern manufacturing CNC and CAD techniques, offering a balanced education. We stimulate a lasting interest in learning, through problem solving, technological design and manufacturing projects; this enables pupils to build up their skills and confidence. Pupilss develop their imaginations, sensitivity and creative responses to a wide range of aesthetic experiences.

During Key Stage 3 the pupils will design and manufacture a variety of projects building their knowledge and understanding of materials, product design and engineering based subjects. This will allow them to become active participants in the man-made world and informed consumers, showing care and sensitivity for the environment.

GCSE course

Pupils who have a creative and imaginative flair towards designing, creating products and an interest in architecture, product design, furniture, jewellery or engineering study D&T.

In year 10 pupils complete a variety of design and make projects. Through this we teach the students skills that are essential to their success in both the Exam and the Controlled Assessment. It is carefully planned to ensure that they are taught the skills that form foundations of design. During the course pupils will manufacture a variety of projects, shape and improve theoretical knowledge, graphics, designing and ICT skills.

The majority of Year 11 will be spent designing and making the pupils chosen final project. Exam preparation will also occur before the mock examination and again before the summer examination.

A-Level course

See Sixth Form Curriculum here for full details of our A-Level Design & Technology: Product Design course.

Outside the classroom

We believe co-curricular activities help to develop the all-round personality of the pupils. This year we ran Herefordshire’s first D&T Conference with six professional designers and engineers who lectured to over 300 pupils and staff from schools across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The main aims of the day were to evoke enthusiasm and to inspire pupils about design. Four Old Herefordians who now work in design and engineering, lectured amongst the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining and a designer from the world renowned Seymour Powell design innovation company.

We also run a series of workshops for all years and open at weekends and holidays for pupils to continue their project work.

TRIPS

We take the pupils on a variety of trips to enthuse and stimulate learning. We believe that learning is about understanding the real world and seeing industry first hand. Pupils attend trips such as a visit to Morgan and Jaguar car plants to look at Mass and Batch production, the Centre for Alternative Technology to discuss sustainability in design, a weekend in London to visit the Design and Science Museums, and the Tate Modern. We also attend the annual Product Design Lectures at the Institute of Education, London and the New Designers Exhibition, which is where the most talented, newly graduated university designers from across the nation display their work.

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