Design and Technology

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject encouraging students to learn, think and intervene creatively, to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At Shotton Hall, we encourage students to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim where possible, to link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. The students are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. The students design and create products that consider function and purpose, and which are relevant to a range of sectors (for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment).

When designing and making, the students are taught to:

Design:

Use research to explore design briefs and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at individuals or groups.
Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, prototypes, and computer-aided design.

Make:

Select and safely use appropriate hand tools, equipment and machinery to perform practical tasks with accuracy (for example, marking out, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing).
Select and use appropriate materials and components to meet the needs of the brief and specification.

Evaluate:

Investigate and analyse a range of existing products.
Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.
Understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.

Technical knowledge:

Apply their knowledge of health and safety, workshop tools and machinery to create products with accuracy.
Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce ideas to create stronger and more efficient structures.
Understand and use mechanical systems in their products.
Understand and use electrical systems in their products.
Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.

Children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education make an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Curriculum information

Year group	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 7	Construction lines – planning a drawing Grid method – scaling/copying a drawing 3D drawing using the oblique method Rendering – colour, texture, tone/shading Manufacturing skills – workshop health and safety and hand tools.	CAD/CAM – laser cutter focus Timbers Papers and Boards Manufacturing skills – workshop health and safety and hand tools. CAD/CAM skills – 2d Design (CAD), laser cut keyring	Packaging Product Analysis Design Specification CAD/CAM skills – 2d Design (CAD), laser cut keyring Design and make project – Rag Doll sewing skills project
Year 8	Isometric Sketching and crating Rendering – colour, texture, tone/shading, thick and thin lines. Structures – bridge challenge group project	CAD/CAM - 3d printer focus Timbers Papers and boards Polymers Structures – bridge challenge bridge challenge group project with electronics/coding. Motion, forces, mechanisms – mechanical toy design and make project	Health & Safety Tools & Machinery Smart Materials Motion, forces, mechanisms – mechanical toy design and make project
Year 9	Chair project Design brief Research & exploration – anthropometrics and ergonomics Manufacturing equipment Initial design ideas – sketching, dimensioning, labelling/annotations using ACCESSFM Design development Final design Engineering/orthographic drawings.	Chair project Prototyping Evaluating Phone holder project 3D CAD skills building	Phone holder project 3D CAD skills building – 3D printer 2D CAD skills building – laser cutter Production plan and risk assessment Manufacturing Testing & feedback.
Year 10 Engineering Design	The design cycle and process Design strategies Research methods Communicating ideas: Freehand sketching and rendering skills Isometric drawing Labelling Annotating Dimensioning using engineering standards Methods of evaluating a product Design brief Design specification factors Manufacturing processes and materials Legislation and standards 2D CAD skills – orthographic drawing and laser cutter	Engineering drawing – methods, 1^st and 3^rd angle, dimensioning, labelling, symbols, abbreviations, line style. 3D CAD skills – creating parts, assemblies and rendering. CAD/CAM manufacturing project - creating 3D printer and laser cutter files from CAD work. Production plans Risk assessments Manufacturing skills and considerations: Tolerances Design for manufacturing assembly Design for disassembly Health and safety	Evaluating design ideas Modelling methods User testing and feedback Ranking matrixes QFD evaluations Live NEA 1^st of June R039 and R040 Unit R039: Communicating designs Freehand sketching and rendering Labelling and annotating Orthographic drawing and parts list Exploded drawing Rendered 3D CAD model
Year 11 Engineering Design	Ongoing revision – R038 units 1 to 4 Live NEA Unit R039: Communicating designs Freehand sketching and rendering Labelling and annotating Orthographic drawing and parts list Exploded drawing Rendered 3D CAD model Unit R040: Design, evaluation and modelling Existing product analysis and report Product disassembly and analysis report 3D CAD assembly Production planning Manufacturing Evaluation	Ongoing revision – R038 units 1 to 4 Live NEA Unit R040: Design, evaluation and modelling Existing product analysis and report Product disassembly and analysis report 3D CAD assembly Production planning Manufacturing Evaluation	Ongoing revision – R038 units 1 to 4

Learning about a range of materials and creating products after designing them is amazing.

Year 7 student

In tech, we explore different design problems and use creative ways to solve them.

Year 8 student