| 7 | Project Pop-up Book & Mechanisms
Pupils complete a baseline test and are introduced to workshop health & safety. They explore motion and mechanisms through a pop-up book project, developing rendering, linkage, and creative problem-solving skills.
Careers Link : Creative industries highlighted through storytelling, design, and media links. | Project Food & Celebration
Pupils focus on nutrition and healthy eating across cultures, learning safe preparation, hygiene, and food sustainability. They explore cultural food practices and develop confidence in practical cooking.
Careers Link: Careers in hospitality, catering, and food technology explored. | Project Wooden Box (Intro to Woodwork)
Pupils gain practical skills in measuring, marking, cutting, and joining with accuracy. They are introduced to safe hand tool use and basic workshop processes, developing perseverance and independence.
Careers Link: Careers in carpentry, joinery, and construction introduced. | Project Wooden Box (Assembly & Finish)
Pupils assemble and finish their wooden box using sanding, staining, and polishing techniques. They learn about materials, construction methods, and evaluation, developing pride in their outcomes.
Careers Link Careers in furniture design, surface finishing, and construction linked. | Project Sweet Dispenser (CAD & Design)
Pupils design a sweet dispenser using CAD and modelling. They create specifications, justify design choices, and apply iterative design thinking. Emphasis on sustainability and innovation.
Careers Link: Careers in product engineering, CAD, and advanced manufacturing explored
| Project Sweet Dispenser (Making & Evaluation)
Pupils manufacture their dispenser, applying safe tool use, appropriate processes, and quality finishes. They evaluate against specification and peer review to ensure accuracy and quality control.
Careers Link: Careers in product manufacturing, quality control, and engineering highlighted. |
| 8 | Project Phone Charger Stand (H&S & Design Cycle)
Pupils revisit health & safety and apply the design cycle to create a phone charger stand. They explore design briefs, specifications, materials, and sustainability. This builds on Year 7 workshop skills and introduces independent design thinking.
Careers Link:: Careers in product design, electronics, and sustainable manufacturing. | Project: Phone Charger Stand (Construction & Sustainability)
Pupils manufacture their charger stand, developing accuracy and independence in workshop skills. They explore construction techniques, surface finishes, sustainability, and product evaluation. This develops confidence in practical work while reinforcing responsibility and quality.
Careers Link: Careers in sustainable design, construction, and engineering. | Project Graphic Design Branding
Pupils explore colour theory, typography, layout, and composition to create branding materials. They design a logo and produce a sublimated mug with packaging. This project strengthens digital design, CAD/CAM awareness, and links to creative industries.
Careers Link: Careers in graphic design, branding, and media. | Project Personal Storage Project (Design & Materials)
Pupils begin designing a personal storage solution, applying knowledge from Year 7 woodwork and charger stand projects. They work with timbers, polymers, and metals, developing CAD/CAM awareness, construction techniques, and design iteration.
Careers Link: Careers in engineering, joinery, and manufacturing introduced. | Personal Storage Project (Electronics, Textiles & Programming Theory)
The storage project is extended to include electronic circuits (e.g. speakers), programming theory (inputs, processes, outputs), and textiles theory (linings, finishes, smart materials). This broadens pupils’ knowledge across all D&T material areas, building towards GCSE NEA-style working and encouraging independence, sustainability, and creative problem solving.
Careers Link: Careers in electronics, programming, textiles, and product engineering. | Project Food & Nutrition (Beyond Healthy Eating)
Pupils expand their knowledge of food origins, nutrition, and sustainability, making cultural and scientific links. They develop independence in food preparation and apply knowledge of global food awareness, food science, and health. This ensures KS3 coverage of food alongside design-based projects.
Careers Link: Careers in food, nutrition, hospitality, and science. |
| 9 | Topic: New & Emerging Technologies
Pupils investigate new and emerging technologies and their impact on industry, enterprise, society, and the environment. They evaluate sustainability, global change, and market pull. A mini-NEA activity develops skills in research, product analysis, and user-focused evaluation. Practical modelling tasks support understanding.
Career Link Careers in digital design, engineering, and sustainable product development. | Topic: Energy Generation & Storage
Pupils study fossil, nuclear, and renewable energy sources (solar, wind, tidal, hydro). They analyse environmental, social, and economic impacts. Pupils apply knowledge through practical prototypes of sustainable energy storage (e.g. solar chargers), linking theory to making skills.
Careers Link: Careers in renewable energy, sustainability, and engineering. | Topic: Developments in New Materials
Pupils explore smart, modern, and composite materials, including textiles, graphene, and bio-polymers. They undertake hands-on investigations into material properties and apply knowledge in small design-and-make challenges. Sustainability and innovation are emphasised.
Careers Link: Careers in materials science and innovation. | Topic: Systems Approach & Mechanical Devices
Pupils study systems (input, process, output) and mechanical devices (levers, linkages, gears, pulleys). They design and prototype functioning models, testing and refining their ideas. Emphasis on accuracy, evaluation, and real-world applications builds technical skills for GCSE.
Careers Link: Careers in robotics, automation, and mechanical engineering. | Topic: Materials & Their Properties
Pupils study timbers, metals, polymers, and paper/board, exploring working properties, stock forms, and characteristics. They complete a mini-NEA style practical project: selecting, justifying, and applying materials, testing outcomes, and evaluating sustainability. Practical workshop skills are developed alongside CAD/CAM application.
Careers Link: Careers in product design, packaging, and manufacturing. | Topic: Consolidation & Mini NEA
Pupils consolidate knowledge from terms 1-5 and apply it in a GCSE-style Mini NEA project. They research, design, and prototype a product, creating a design brief, specification, and evaluation. AO1–AO4 assessment skills are embedded while pupils continue to develop practical skills in tools, machines, CAD, and prototyping. This ensures balance between theory and making, preparing them fully for GCSE NEA and written exam.
careers Link: Careers in prototyping, sustainable design, and engineering pathways. |
| 10 | Topic: Materials, Selection & Forces
Pupils build on KS3 skills by deepening understanding of timbers, metals, polymers, and paper/board. They investigate properties, sustainability, and environmental impact while applying forces and stresses such as tension, torsion, and compression. Practical tasks include testing and evaluating materials in workshop settings.
Links to intent: real skills for life using tools and machines; design for the future through sustainable decision-making.
Careers Link: Materials science, engineering, and manufacturing. | Topic: Social & Ecological Issues, Sustainability
Pupils examine cultural, social, and ecological issues affecting design and manufacturing. They evaluate the 6Rs and assess the impact of sourcing and processing materials. Practical projects integrate ethical decision-making and product lifecycle analysis.
Links to intent: designing for the future with sustainability and independence.
Careers Link: Sustainable design, eco-engineering, and manufacturing innovation. | Topic: Shaping, Forming & Stock Forms
Pupils explore shaping and forming processes such as lamination, casting, extrusion, and thermoforming. They study standard components and stock forms, evaluating efficiency, cost, and scale of production. Practical workshops apply these processes, linking theory to real outcomes.
Links to intent: creativity through problem-solving, independence through applied practice.
Careers Link: Engineering, prototyping, and large-scale manufacturing. | Topic: Tools, Processes & Quality Control
Pupils investigate tools, equipment, and commercial processes used in manufacturing. Focus is on accuracy, tolerances, and quality assurance. Pupils complete practical outcomes, applying surface finishes, testing, and evaluation. Emphasis is placed on professional standards and aesthetics.
Links to intent: building real skills for life using machines, CAD, and finishing processes.
Careers Link: Production, quality engineering, and product finishing. | Official NEA Launch (1st June)
Pupils begin the official NEA by exploring contextual challenges. They produce mind maps, mood boards, and research plans to identify a client or user. They then generate initial ideas through sketching, modelling, and CAD development, linking theory to design practice.
Links to intent: solving real problems creatively; teamwork and independence through iterative design.
Careers Link: Product development, consultancy, and innovation. | NEA Section A and B Development
Pupils refine research and begin specification writing, applying user needs, contextual research, and sustainability requirements. They strengthen skills in investigation, questionnaires, and user testing. Pupils justify design choices with evidence, preparing for prototype development.
Links to intent: design for the future, independence in decision-making, accountability in design practice.
Careers Link: Higher education pathways, product design, and industrial design. |
| 11 | Section C NEA Development: Initial & Chosen Ideas
Pupils refine their chosen NEA project, generating innovative responses to their brief. They communicate design ideas through sketching, CAD, modelling, and material testing. Pupils evaluate strengths and weaknesses of ideas, refining them against specification requirements.
Links to intent: solving real problems creatively, independence in decision-making.
Careers Link: CAD, design consultancy, innovation. | Section D & E NEA Development: Processes & Prototyping
Pupils develop prototypes by applying specialist tools, equipment, and processes. They refine models, test materials, and document outcomes against assessment objectives. Practical making is structured alongside teacher-led guidance and peer feedback.
Links to intent: building real skills for life through practical independence, teamwork, and resilience.
Careers Link: Engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing. | Section E & F NEA Completion & Evaluation
Pupils evaluate their NEA products against specification and client/user needs. They finalise design decisions, refine prototypes, and complete portfolios for submission. Emphasis is placed on accuracy, reflection, and accountability.
Links to intent: design for the future through sustainability and evaluation.
Careers Link: Product design, evaluation, and consultancy. | Coursework Review & Exam Preparation
Pupils ensure NEA is fully structured and ready for submission. They begin targeted exam preparation, using AQA past papers and mark schemes. Revision covers core technical principles, specialist principles, and design processes.
Links to intent: independence through structured revision, problem-solving, and accountability.
Careers Link: Engineering, QA, and design consultancy. | Intensive Revision & Exam Practice
Pupils consolidate knowledge of KS3–4 content through targeted revision, retrieval practice, and past paper questions. Emphasis is placed on exam technique and applying AO1–AO4 skills under timed conditions.
Links to intent: independence, accountability, and pride in achievement.
Careers Link: Higher education, design and technology, advanced manufacturing. | Exams & Transition
Pupils sit their final GCSE Design and Technology exams. Alongside exams, they are supported with post-16 transition activities, linking learning to A-levels, apprenticeships, and technical pathways. Reflection and resilience are reinforced, ensuring pupils leave with confidence in their design skills.
Links to intent: equipping pupils for future pathways through creativity, problem-solving, and applied technical knowledge.
Careers Link: Post-16 pathways, higher education, and industry links. |