Design & Technology - Key Stage 4

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Years 10 & 11

GCSE Design and Technology 

Course Content

The course is spilt into the following two areas:

* Component 01 - Principles of Design and Technology - 2-hour external examination - 50% of final grade.

* Component 02 - Iterative Design Challenge - Approximately 40 hours of internal controlled          assessment - 50% of final grade.

Before students start Component 02 in June of Year 10, they will work on multiple short projects focusing on developing their design skills, making skills and theoretical knowledge of a whole range materials and processes. 

Component 02 will start in June of the first year of the course. Students will design and make a product using the iterative design process that responds to a contextual challenge released by the exam board on June 1st. At the end of the project, students will submit multiple prototypes, a final prototype and a design portfolio that explains the journey of their idea and how they have attempted to respond to the contextual challenge.

Following the submission of the controlled assessment, students will then focus their attention to Component 01 which is a 2-hour written examination testing the theoretical aspect of the course.

Homework

Pupils should expect to receive an hour of homework a week, which will consist of a variety of research, design-based tasks, and revision for formative tests.

Equipment

Pupils may bring a craft apron to lessons. However, aprons are provided. All workshop tools will be provided. Pupils are required to purchase the course textbook and course revision guide to aid them with their studies.

Visits/Extra-curricular

In year 10 pupils will go to the Design Museum in London and participation in work experience to gain vital design experience is an optional element of the course but is encouraged.

 

Engineering Manufacture

Course Content

Students will study four units which will provide them with a clear and coherent understanding of the world of engineering manufacture. Considerable time is spent learning both practically and theoretically about many engineering manufacturing techniques and processes. 

In Y10 we will focus on:

1. R109: Engineering materials, processes, and production -This unit allows students to develop their understanding of a wide range of engineering materials and how their properties and characteristics impact on a design specification. Students will also examine different production processes and their applications.
2. R110: Preparing and planning for manufacture -This unit allows students to plan and apply appropriate processes to make a pre-production product using hand-held tools, measuring, and marking equipment safely. Students then carry out a range of manually controlled machining operations and perform quality control checks to review their finished pre-production product.

In Y11 we focus on:

1. R111: Computer-aided manufacturing. This unit allows students to explore the role of computer applications in the design and manufacture of engineered products by creating computer-aided design (CAD) drawings to produce a batch of computer numerical control (CNC) manufactured examples of a product. Students then investigate into methods used to compare items manufactured by manually controlled and CNC production and develop their understanding of how computer control is used to produce engineered products in high-volume.
2. R112: Quality control of engineered products -Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the techniques and procedures used, including ‘lean processes’ to ensure the quality of engineered products. Students will produce and implement a detailed set of procedures for the quality control of engineered products in a ‘real world’ situation involving high-volume manufacture of products.

Homework

Pupils should expect to receive an hour of homework a week, which will consist of a variety of research, engineering-based tasks, and revision for formative tests.

Equipment

Pupils may bring a craft apron to lessons. However, aprons are provided. All workshop tools will be provided. Pupils are required to purchase the course textbook and course revision guide to aid them with their studies.

Visits/Extra-curricular

Participation in work experience to gain vital engineering experience is an optional element of the course but is encouraged.

 

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition

Course Content

The course is spilt into five areas; food, nutrition and health, food science, food safety, food choice and food provenance. 

Pupils will complete three assessments:

• Paper : Food Preparation and Nutrition - written exam (1 hour and 45 minutes), 100 marks and worth 50% of GCSE grade.
• Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) - Task 1 - Food Investigation - Students understand the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients. 
• Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) - Task 2 - Food Preparation Assessement - Students will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a single period of no more than three hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved. 

Homework

Pupils should expect to receive an hour of homework a week, which will consist of a variety of research, food preparation and nutrition-based tasks, and revision for formative tests.

Equipment

Pupils may bring an apron to lessons. However, aprons are provided. All kitchen tools will be provided. Pupils are required to purchase ingredients, the course textbook and course revision guide to aid them with their studies.

Visits/Extra-curricular

Participation in work experience to gain vital food preparation and nutrition experience is an optional element of the course but is encouraged.

Online Resources

Design icon : Find out designs that truly challenge the norm and change the way we live. These disruptive designs and designers inspire us to keep thinking differently.