The Design and Technology Faculty: Food, Resistant Materials and Textiles

The Design and Technology Faculty

The Design and Technology faculty offer a range of practical subjects and learning experiences to develop students’ creativity and problem-solving skills using a range of materials. We have purpose-built workshops for fashion and textiles, food and resistant materials. We also have a computer suite and a range of CAD CAM equipment including CAD CAM embroidery, a laser cutter, 3D printing and CAD CAM edible icing.

The Design and Technology Team

Miss E Stanton – Curriculum Team leader, Art, Fashion and Textiles specialist teacher

Miss E Eldredge – Deputy Curriculum Team Leader, Resistant Materials specialist teacher

Miss Tanya Naidoo – Food specialist teacher

Miss Khadijah Najahi – Fashion and Textiles and Food specialist technician

Mr Leith Eldredge – Resistant Materials and CAD CAM equipment specialist technician

Curriculum Rationale

Students will be taught skills with materials and equipment in our three subject areas of textiles, food and resistant materials. Students are also taught electronics as part of product design. Students can also choose to opt for GCSE study in these subjects in years 10 and 11. Design and technology education at Sir Jonathan North aims to prepare students for future employment and or higher/further education in any of its related routes in Art, Design, Science, Maths, Engineering or food industries. Never before has the curriculum been so diverse. Students will design and make finished products to take home in all DT subjects. Alongside practical skills, students learn about issues which affect product design across all areas. Environmental, social, moral, cultural and economic factors are explored. This learning helps students to understand the importance of being able to develop different design solutions for different needs. This knowledge is orchestrated with developing knowledge of working properties of materials, and then allows for sophisticated student responses as students move up through the school.

Curriculum Design

Subjects are studied in rotation and have approximately 9 x 1 hour and 40 min lessons. In DT subject areas, students learn practical techniques with material preparation, cutting, joining, cooking, embellishment and finishing. Students will build on skills as they move up through the school. Skills are refined, accuracy is developed and confidence achieved with using equipment and machinery. We provide students with opportunities to use hand tools, power tools, machines and CAD CAM equipment. Students are taught to use iterative, user centred and collaborative approaches with problem solving and researching design briefs for project work. Students are encouraged to test ideas and learn from experiences to inform design development. Each project experience in Design and Technology is evaluated and assessed formally. This allows learning to show students their individual strengths and areas for development.

Learning and Assessment

Staff have high expectations of students to ensure they effectively stretch and develop their learning. New challenges are regularly set. Teachers use the ‘learning scientist’ approaches which include: Spaced learning, retrieval practice, elaboration, interleaving, concrete examples and dual coding. These approaches allow all students to consolidate their understanding of knowledge and technical principles taught. Our Key stage 3 curriculum prepares students for the next challenge with GCSE’s which start in Year 10. Students can choose to study Design and Technology subjects of GCSE DT Fashion and Textiles, GCSE DT Product Design and GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.

Food	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
	Vegetable couscous salad learning knife skills and salad making techniques.	Muffins learning about chemical raising agents and recipe ideas for cake products.	Thai quorn curry Learning about uses of spices and cultural dishes.
	Sizzling stir fry using knife skills and learning about different cooking techniques.	Bread rolls learning about raising agents and bread making techniques.	Apple turnover learning about presentation techniques with pastry.
	Pear hedgehog learning about oxidisation and methods to prevent this and food presentation.	Tomato sauce and pasta learning about recipe ideas and preparation and cooking ingredients.	Macaroni and cheese sauce learning about gelatinisation with making sauces.
	Shortbread learning about shaping techniques and oven baking.	Chocolate fork biscuits learning about making batches.	Sushi learning about cultural traditions and preparation of ingredients for sushi.

Textiles	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
	Bag with monster decoration exploring construction techniques and stitched decoration.	Cushion cover project using creative techniques to explore a theme.	Skirt project exploring sustainable fashion design.

Resistant Materials	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
	Earrings and twisted key fob using hand tools and small components.	Plant moisture sensor making circuit using electronic components.	Enamelled pendant using metals and kiln fired enamel.
	CAD CAM personalised jewellery box.	Plastic phone stand using CAD CAM to design and manufacture.	Pewter cast jewellery using a range of embossing and engraving techniques.

Assessment

Our four key statements that underpin the Lionheart Creative curriculum are as follows. Explore: for students to develop an understanding of the work of artists, designers, makers and industry professionals. In food students will explore nutrition and health, characteristics of ingredients and food sourcing. Students will respond to a range of briefs and contexts and learn to problem solve through evidence-based research.

Develop: Students will develop independent and creative responses through trial and error. Students will learn to appreciate, understand and respond to the views of others through enquiry. An ability to reformulate their outcomes in response to user needs and social, moral and economic factors will develop throughout courses of study. Students learn to present design ideas using a range of techniques.

Create/Make: Students produce creative works and products at key stage 3 in textiles, food, resistant materials and electronics. Students are taught skills and techniques with shaping, forming, joining and embellishing materials. In food, students learn a wide range of food preparation and cooking methods.

Evaluate: Students learn to evaluate their own work and the work of others. Critical evaluation deepens knowledge and understanding of working properties of prototypes and commercial products. This allows students to develop new and innovative approaches in their practical project work. Students evaluate the impact of product design on individuals, society and the environment.

Key stage 3 work in Art Design and Technology is graded as follows: Beginner, Working towards and Secure.

Key stage 4 work is graded through GCSE taught courses from grades 1 – 9.

Extra Curricular

The design and technology team offer educational trips, competitions and enrichment experiences including: Cadbury’s World visit, De Montfort University visit to final Art and Design degree shows, STEM days working with lecturers and engineers, felt making workshops and visits to local industry.

Jada C.S. 8.4 “I went to Cadbury’s World. It was exciting because we saw how chocolate was made differently over the years. I know how bubbly chocolate is made now too.”

Pip F. 10.5 “I really enjoyed the felt making day. I made hair clips by hand rolling felt.”

Zara S. 9.4 “I went to De Montfort University for a STEM day. It was a creative experience. I saw further education courses which I could do in the future.”