A unique opportunity in the curriculum for candidates to identify and solve real problems
Design Technology – Product Design
A course in Design and Technology offers a unique opportunity in the curriculum for candidates to identify and solve real problems by designing and making products in a wide range of contexts relating to their personal interests. Design and Technology develops candidates’ interdisciplinary skills, all six Key Skills and their capacity for imaginative, innovative thinking, creativity and independence and will continue to build on your knowledge from KS3. The course is broken into 2 sections:
- Controlled assessment course work 50%
- Final written exam 50%
Year 10
Learners will be expected to produce a series of smaller projects that will develop their knowledge and understanding of the product design subject as a whole, as well as covering a variety of theory topics including materials, processes and the environment.
Learners will be encouraged to develop their computer skills by using computer aided design software, as well as using wood, metals and plastic. Learners will develop design skills to solve creative solutions to contextual problems. They will have the opportunity to develop traditional workshop skills as well as more modern techniques, such as laser cutting. This is all with the intention of building their knowledge and skills for the coursework and written exam in Year 11.
Year 11
Learners will be required to complete a controlled assessment portfolio that will have around 25 A3 sheets and a completed product or prototype. The assessment contexts are released the end of Year 10, where they will find a problem within one of the contexts, research into the chosen problem then design an innovative solution. The course work will include prototyping using different materials and producing either a final product or prototype, but the majority of the coursework will be detailed research and designing. An external moderator will visit school and assess the candidate marks.
The written paper is a 2-hour written/design paper and will test learners’ knowledge on the theory aspect of the course; topics include materials, manufacturing processes, environmental issues, current designers and more.
Enrichment Opportunities
We participate in various STEM projects to showcase the careers of Designers, Architects, Engineers, Scientists and Mathematicians.
Homework
Homework can take a variety of forms including written tasks, revision exercises, online tasks and preparation for coursework or practical examinations. The aim of homework is to supplement the learning that takes place in the classroom and instil independent learning, a crucial lifelong skill. Staff aim to give ample time to complete homework tasks so learners should plan their own time carefully in order to meet deadlines. The frequency of homework can vary depending on the number of lessons offered over a fortnight.
The majority of subject areas make use of Google Classroom to communicate any homework requirements to the learners. I would encourage learners and parents/carers to check Google Classrooms regularly.
Parents/Carers should endeavour to provide a quiet space for their children to complete homework tasks. Where this is not possible, the school does provide such places for learners to access in their lunchtime or afterschool hours. Please encourage learners to discuss this with their tutors or progress leaders in the first instance.
At KS4 students will receive timely theoretical homework tasks when specific content of the course is covered. They will also be encouraged to participate in some form of physical activity or fitness at least once a week to support their practical performances.
Feedback
All teachers will provide verbal feedback. Feedback lessons will follow extended writing pieces to allow students to improve their work in DIRT based on the guidance given.
Examination questions completed in class at some point during lessons will be awarded marks (as required by each question) and a target on how it could be improved if needed.
Assessment
Assessment is an important aspect of a learner’s learning journey. Apart from indicating the current performance of an individual, assessments also inform learners and staff which areas they need to develop. At Ysgol y Grango, staff continuously assess a learner’s progress through a variety of methods. This could include informal assessment, such as quizzes or observations, or formal assessments, such as written tests or coursework.
Ysgol y Grango use an online system called Go4Schools to track and monitor individual learners. Learners and parents/carers can also access information such as reports and subject progress through their own Go4schools login.
Throughout Key stage 4, learners will sit various external assessments. The timing of these assessments varies depending on the subject. Some of these assessment timings are controlled by the school but many are put in place by the examination board. As such it is important that learners are present for these assessments as missing elements of a course can significantly affect the overall grade for a learner.
- There will be at least four formal assessments each year.
- Formal assessments on the school calendar.
- Three creative assessments throughout the year which will be given a grade (A-U) as well as a WWW / EBI.
- An extended writing piece (In the form of a product analysis) will be marked including SPAG and WWW/EBI. Peer assessment will be used on some examination questions/creative tasks such as ideas pages.
Support Toolkits
Links & Resources
Staff Roles & Responsibilities
Design Technology
Mrs S. Hogg – Faculty Leader for Art and Design
Mrs H. Francis – Teacher of Food and Nutrition
Mr T. Sorsby – Teacher of Design Technology
Miss A. Samuels – Teacher of Design Technology
Mr P. Watson – Art and Design Technician