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Design Technology
Design and Technology Curriculum Intent:
Within Design and Technology at KS3 we study Design Technology and Food technology, it is our goal to deliver a curriculum which engages students at all levels of ability and encourages our learners to be confident enough to take design risks, under calculated and supported learning experiences.
“Design and Technology is a phenomenally important subject. Logical, creative and practical, it’s the only opportunity students have in school to apply what they learn in Maths and Science.”
Sir James Dyson
“Real food doesn’t have ingredients. Real food is the ingredient.”
Jamie Oliver
Design and Technology prepares pupils to participate in tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. They learn to think and intervene creatively to improve the quality of life. The subject calls for pupils to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, as individuals and as members of a team. They must look for needs, wants and opportunities and respond to them by developing a range of ideas and making products and systems. They combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social and environmental issues, function and industrial practices. As they do so, they reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and effects.
Through design and technology, all pupils can become discriminating and informed users of products and become innovative designers. They learn how products and systems are designed and manufactured, how to be innovative and to make creative use of a variety of resources including digital technologies, to improve the world around them. We aim to provide a curriculum that will be relevant for the future and to prepare students for work within the full range of Design & Technology careers both locally and beyond. A curriculum that demonstrates that the skills fostered by Design and Technology are valuable preparation for careers in many other fields e.g. medicine, law and computer science.
Within Food Technology at KS3, it is our goal to deliver a curriculum which engages and excites students into the wonders of food and its effects on the human body. We aim to engage students of all abilities enabling them to see the wonders of food, push the boundaries of cooking under supported learning and marry the skills learnt in lessons to the world of work.
Food Technology brings a culinary insight into the industry of food preparing students for key life skills.
They learn to concepts of food and its relationship with health living to improve our quality of life and industry around us. The subject calls for pupils to become scientifically and culinarily aware of how to create dishes both theoretically and in the kitchen. They must understand different cultures of food and how to cook and prepare, cook, plate and serve. Combing practical work including investigation and functional properties of food products and sensory and nutritional evaluation. Students pay for their ingredients for each practical lesson. Those who receive free school meals, ingredients will be provided. Aiding in the skill-based learning through science and further practical developmental skills.
During their learning, students experience three disciplines within the subject: Food Technology, and different topics of Design Technology on a rotational basis. Within these rotations students learn:
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
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Design Technology Students will learn the core information relating to their project and then the methods and skills to use all tools and equipment accurately and safely. Tool skills are a process of development, so in year 7, there is a focus on identification of tools and how to use them safely and accurately through the means of modelling.
Food Technology Students learn Health and safety in the kitchen and equipment. Learning different knife skills and how to be in a kitchen via industry standards Food Hygiene, including bacteria, cross contamination and basic nutrition. Students learn the value of the eat well plate as well as dietary needs and requirements and nutrients. |
Design Technology Further development of the tool skills, with a greater amount of challenge for the students, incorporating a deeper application of the core knowledge delivered with an emphasis on Sustainability and the wider environment. Allowing for students to think both theoretically and practically on how they, their community and industry impacts the world around us. Merging their development of tool skills and problem-solving skills within Design Technology. Food Technology Students look at Street Food, Fast Food and Environmental Waste. Students will further develop their knife skills in the kitchen applying prior and new skills in the development of more complex foods. Students linking to environment increase their research skill identifying where food comes from, and cultures assigned to those dishes.
Students to research into the dietary stages of life linking to nutritional modelling, recipe engineering, sensory analysis, cooking via conduction, radiation & convection.
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Design Technology Students can put all learning into a final practical product, which provides students with a more robust challenge, calling on all prior learning and skills that have been taught to them. Computer aided design (CAD) skills are introduced, using design software (2d design) which enables the students to create design ideas that are then exported to computer aided manufacture (CAM) equipment. The use of CAD/CAM is widespread across industry globally and it is essential that students are competent in its use from an early stage in their learning. The aim of the process is to prepare the students for the depth of challenge they would face in KS4, if they were to take Design and Technology as an option subject. The process of design follows a sequence of investigations, which informs the designer of the wants and needs of a product and a customer, which once researched, will provide a direction upon which the student’s progress to a completed product.
Food Technology Students to dive into more complex dishes that are produced in the food industry. The standards of the food industry and the consequences behind not keeping up to standards. Job roles in the industry. Students dive into Food Provenance, the regionality and how it travels to other sectors around the world. The Environmental factors surrounding the food we eat. |
At the centre of the subject is creativity and imagination. Design & Technology and Food Technology is a subject which draws, develops and implements a range of different disciplines including mathematics, science, computing, geography, business studies and art. The subject embeds high quality literacy skills through analysis and evaluation techniques, thus sits firmly within the STEM subjects.
Iteration is an essential experience to the students and the realisation that some change may be required, to better meet the needs of the client, is a fundamental process, leading to success. The journey of iteration is a challenging concept, which often leads to an evolution in their designs. Therefore, design resilience is an integral part of learning and design failure is very different to failure itself. This is a difficult concept for students to adjust to at times, which can lead to simplifying plans to succeed. Our learners need to strive towards openness in their process, aiming to celebrate the iteration of their designs. This process is fully embraced within GCSE learning and will be a key factor in the design journey within the controlled assessment process.
At KS4 we offer 2 specialism pathways:
- · Hospitality and Catering - WJEC
- · Design Technology – AQA 9 – 1
All offer the opportunity of practical experimentation and product realisation based on contextual theoretical study.
To succeed at D&T students will be required to carry out independent research and to engage with remote learning tasks. At the heart of Food Technology is the five senses. Taste; Touch; Smell; Sight and Listening.
Recommended sites to utilise are as follows:
STEM related study – www.stem.org.uk
Subject specific information – www.technologystudent.com
FOOD TECHNOLOGY related study – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/
Subject specific information – www.youtube.com/foodrevisionvideos
