Design and Technology
Design and Technology at Stewards Academy is a practical subject, which encourages pupils to recognise that Design and Technology are forces that change our world. Design and Technology teaches the design process, how we develop new products using constraints such as a design style and the limitations of materials. We help pupils use academic knowledge from curriculum areas such as Science and Mathematics and turn them to practical uses. For example pupils learn about electronics, properties of materials, and how to measure and scale designs as well as tessellations and translations.
Design and Technology teaches students to solve problems in several ways. They learn how to make aesthetic choices, how to choose one material over another, to solve 3 dimensional design problems like making mechanical systems fit inside a box, and also learn about the wider world through looking at art and design from history and from different cultures.
Increasingly, everyone needs to think about how we can make our world more sustainable. Design and Technology teaches students to think about using materials wisely, how to build-in recycling to the products we make and to choose materials from sustainable sources.
We prepare students for a world in which Technology is changing as fast as Moore’s Law can produce more memory. Our vision is to enable our students to begin a journey that can give them practical skills they can use at home, on a building site, in an Engineer’s or Architect’s office, in a restaurant or in the world of design and fashion.
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 Design and Technology is taught in 3 lessons over the two week timetable and students follow a carousel which means that they spend time with different specialist teachers, using computers, learning workshop tools and safety, learning about Graphic Design, Textiles and how to prepare and cook food. One of the names you will hear is Resistant Materials which is a term that means working with Wood, Metal and Plastics. We also use Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing known as CAD CAM.
Key Stage 4
At Stewards Academy Design and Technology students have the opportunity to study for two courses at GCSE. Students enjoy 5 lessons over the 2 week timetable.
GCSE Design and Technology
We start in Year 9 with a thorough investigation into Wood, Metal and Plastics. Students go on to learn about manufacturing, recycling and a host of other topics before starting their GCSE coursework at the end of yr.10. Strong practical skills are learnt to help students prepare for making their yr11 coursework.
Design and Technology 9-1 is the new GCSE from AQA. It is divided into two parts: The exam and the non exam assessment. Both are worth 50% of the exam and both carry 100 marks.
The exam has 3 sections:
Section A – Core technical principles (20 marks)
A mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions assessing a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding.
Section B – Specialist technical principles (30 marks)
Several short answer questions (2–5 marks) and one extended response to assess a more in depth knowledge of technical principles.
Section C – Designing and making principles (50 marks)
A mixture of short answer and extended response questions.
The exam is taken at the end of yr. 11 after students have finished the coursework.
The NEA or non-exam assessment is the new name for what used to be called coursework.
Students will produce a working prototype and a portfolio of evidence that needs to include:
- Identifying and investigating design possibilities
- Producing a design brief and specification
- Generating design ideas
- Developing design ideas
- Realising design ideas (this means making the product)
- Analysing & evaluating
The design challenges are released annually by AQA on 1 June in the year prior to the submission of the NEA.
Work will be marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.