Design & Technology

In D&T at Beaumont, we aim to prepare our students for the ever-changing technological developments of the modern world by giving them the opportunities to be creative and independent, and learn a range of modern skills in order to design and manufacture products that solve real world problems.

Key Stage 3

In Design and Technology, students are encouraged to be innovative thinkers, to design and make various products using a range of different materials including: Food, Timber, Metals, Polymers, Textiles, Paper/Board and Electronics/Mechanisms. They will develop technical knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of focused practical tasks and design and make assignments, using a combination of both traditional and modern technology to manufacture quality products.

Assessment

In each rotation, students will be assessed on their knowledge of technical principles, worth 50%, as well being assessed on the practical Designing and Making Principles for the remaining 50%. In the lower school, teachers use a criteria-based cover sheet to assess students’ work and they provide written feedback. Students respond to the teacher’s comments and set their own targets for improvement.

Home Learning

Home learning will be set occasionally and should take no longer than 40 – 60 minutes to complete. In addition, they will be asked to prepare any necessary ingredients and storage containers for Food lessons.

Key Stage 4

At KS4, students have a choice of taking D&T (Product Design) or D&T (Food Preparation & Nutrition) at GCSE. Students will learn the relevant core knowledge and practical skills required, and then complete Non Exam Assessment projects to demonstrate their designing and making skills and applied knowledge of technical principles.

The GCSE Art Textiles course enables students to work in a range of areas including decorative textile surface techniques, printed textiles, constructed textiles, fashion design and interior textiles and Textile artists studies. This is a creative textiles course that is structured by the department to support and encourage the students. Throughout Years 10 and 11, two units of coursework are introduced: Unit 1:’Sweets and Treats’ and Unit 2: ‘Organic World’

Assessment

In D&T (Product Design), students in Year 11 will complete one examination worth 50% and one Non Exam Assessment worth 50%.
In D&T (Food Preparation & Nutrition), students will complete one written examination worth 50%, one Food Investigation task worth 15% and one Food Preparation task worth 35%.

In GCSE Art Textiles, the course is structured to cover four Assessment Objectives for both the coursework and exam units. In Year 10, students will create a sketchbook and portfolio of decorative technique skills, observation drawing and research into textiles artists’ work using the theme of ‘Sweets and Treats’. They will create a wall hanging from that theme. They will then create a corset inspired by further creative research into the theme ‘Organic World’. In Year 11 there is an externally set task and an exam with a sketchbook of research followed by the opportunity to create a textiles piece of their choice in an eight hour exam over two days.

Home Learning

Year 10 and 11 students work in one of two areas: D&T (Food Preparation & Nutrition) or D&T (Product Design) over a five term period. They will receive a variety of home learning tasks which might be technical principle based or in the form of a project.

In addition they will also be asked to prepare any necessary ingredients for Food Preparation & Nutrition and complete home learning intended to develop their knowledge of the chosen subject area.

In the GCSE Art Textiles course, home learning will be based on the students’ projects. It is essential part of the final grade. As a guide, students are expected to complete 1½ hours of home learning per week.

Extra-curricular enrichment

GCSE Product Design Club
Art Textiles Club
GCSE Food Club
Evening adult classes: art textiles and workshop.

Stretch & Challenge

Young Chef Rotary Competition
Professional Cook Workshops in Food (meat, fish, poultry, patisserie)
Design Ventura Competition
DofE skills in D&T

Students should also consider attending the Knit and Stitch show and Design Museum

Where can Design & Technology take you?

Some Beaumont alumni students have gone on to some of the following careers: costume designer, wardrobe assistant, fashion buyer, fashion photographer, fashion designer, t-shirt designer, builder, car restorer, graphic designer.

Other career options: prop maker, special effects designer, architect, chef, nutrition expert. Also,new product development, Food Product Engineer, Packaging Designer, Food Photographer, Operations team leader, Chef, Marketing, Logistics, Nutritionist, PR, Finance, Research. A sector which offers a vast choice of careers. There will always be a demand.

How parents can support their child’s learning?

Parents can support their child through general discussion concerning projects; offering personal points of view and opinions is very useful to help students reflect on their ideas. Help may be given to assist students in any aspect of research, analysis, planning and evaluating project work or learning more about technical principles. Preparation of materials and equipment in D&T (Food Preparation & Nutrition) is expected to be the responsibility of each child (under adult supervision, as appropriate).