Design and Technology

In today’s society, design and technology plays an ever increasing role in our lives with greater choices being available to individuals. This subject aims to provide students with an insight into how products are designed and the advances in design through history. Through this students can gain an understanding of what constitutes good design along with the implications in terms of cost and environmental impact.

In design and technology pupils have the opportunity to combine practical and technological skills with creative thinking to design and make products that meet human needs. They learn to use current technologies and consider the impact of future technological developments.

To enable students to work in these areas they will need access to excellent resources and equipment in a number of different material areas and these can be found at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar. Through the use of modern workshop and Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing facilities students have the opportunity to design and make prototypes of products from a range of materials within the following areas:

• Graphical Technology
• Resistant Materials
• Electronics and control

The department has a suite of computers dedicated for the use of students within lessons, that are equipped with the latest software for design and technology including 2D Design, Circuit Wizard and Solid Works, which is an industry standard Computer Aided Design and Engineering Package.

Currently, students in Year 7 & Year 8 receive 1 hour of Design and technology a week rotated between Graphics and Resistant Materials.

The emphasis of the course at KS3 is to develop students’ skills in the core areas of Design Technology which include, Exploring Ideas and the Task, Generating Ideas, Developing and Modelling Ideas, Planning, Making and Evaluating. This will generally involve students working through a design process, looking at designing products for themselves, clients or markets, carrying out research into existing products, materials, manufacturing methods etc. This will lead students to generate and develop a range of design proposals, making the final design and evaluating it against a specification. At KS3 the students will mostly work to given situations or topics.

At KS4 Students who opt to study Design and Technology will use the skills gained in Years 7 and 8 to develop projects for design situations that they have identified. This is a major element of the GCSE course as it equates to 50% of the final grade. Students will initially work through a series of minor design and make projects through Year 9 and Year 10 to gain a wide range of skills that they can then draw upon when completing their controlled assessment work in Year 11. During this time they will complete a controlled assessment project alongside class based work to provide students with the knowledge and understanding needed to succeed in the final exam.

In Years 12 and 13 students have the opportunity to study for an A Level in Design and Technology – Product Design. This course involves students working through a number of mini projects through Y12 before completing their main coursework project through Year 13. The projects follow similar lines to those completed at GCSE level but in greater depth and with more emphasis on industrial methods and practices, for example batch production in the manufacture of flat pack furniture and the printing of textile fabrics. Students will also be involved in research into a number of design movements such as Bauhaus and Art Deco.

The Design and Technology department offers a range of extra-curricular activities in all material areas, and extra support is available to students during lunchtime and after school to aid them with their studies.

The subject has close ties with Business Studies to enable students to investigate the commercial and marketing side of products and services.

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