How we Support and Develop Your Child

Lessons, homework and practical tasks are tailored to the needs of students working at and towards each threshold, ensuring that students are simultaneously supported and challenged. Information is provided on the VLE to assist students in completing homework. Students are encouraged to be as independent as possible within tasks to develop these vital learning skills for GCSE.

How we Assess Your Child's Progress

Students' work is assessed at least every 3 weeks in Design and Technology. Threshold progress trackers are used in all material areas in D&T (Resistant Material, Graphics and Food) to record student’s marks and targets for key pieces of written and practical work. These are kept in student books/folders. It is essential for students to keep referring back to these to help them to improve as they move to new projects throughout the year.

Year 7

Overview

Year 7 is an opportunity for your child to settle in and to experience a range practical and creative activities that will whet the appetite for deeper study as students’ progress up the school.

Skills Developed

As a predominantly practical subject students are introduced to health and safety in all areas of Design and Technology with an emphasis on expectations/safety precautions and risk assessment. A variety of researching, designing, developing and making skills are developed. Specific techniques such as disassembly of existing products and detailed research into materials/ingredients are carried out in class and as homework. There will be multiple opportunities to learn and develop a range of specific practical skills which can then be applied to project work. These will include marking out accurately, cutting, shaping and finishing along with use of machines such as the pillar drill, hegner saw and band facer. In Food, students will learn how to use basic kitchen equipment such as sharp knives, the oven and hob to gain confidence in key cooking techniques. Food safety and hygiene is also a focus with students recognising the importance of keeping themselves and others safe when working with food.

Topics Covered

Download the DT Year 7 Curriculum Overview

Fridge Magnet
Cam Toy
Food & Nutrition: Fruit Salad, fruit crumble, ragu sauce
Food & Nutrition: Pasta Salad, scotch eggs, chicken curry
Food & Nutrition: Cheesecake, pasties, free choice (showstopper)

Year 8

Skills Developed

Building on the skills introduced in year 7 students will have the opportunity to work with a wider range of materials/ingredients, tools and equipment and further develop their confidence whilst carrying out practical tasks. They will have the opportunity to cast pewter, laminate plywood and use the center lathe. CAD skills will also be introduced and used in the development of design ideas. In Food, students will learn how to use and assess the risks of electric equipment such as electric whisks, hand blenders and how to work with different breads and pastries correctly. Nutritional knowledge is also built upon from year 7.

Topics Covered

Download the DT Year 8 Curriculum Overview

R.M Gumball Machine
Graphics- Phone holder
Food and Nutrition – The Bake Off, Bread rolls, quiche, cupcakes
Food and Nutrition – British Cuisine, Sausage plait, Mini Apple Pies
Food and Nutrition – Food Around the World, Bolognese and garlic bread, macaroni cheese, koftas and flatbreads and Pizza

Year 9

Skills Developed

Further building on the skills introduced in years 7 & 8, students will have the opportunity to develop their confidence whilst carrying out both designing and practical tasks. They will be taught skills that are directly applicable to GCSE work such as disassembly of existing products and profiling potential users of what they are designing/making. A variety of CAD and making skills are also enhanced. In Food, students will look at advanced skills in bread and pastry making and develop their presentation and plating abilities.

Topics Covered

Download the DT Year 9 Curriculum Overview

Graphics: Design and make a chocolate bar and its wrapper – this involves; identifying a target group, disassembling existing products, developing designs in CAD, laser cutting prototypes, packaging design and evaluating final designs
Resistant Materials: Design and make a mood light - this involves reinforcing Health and Safety in the workshop, researching themes, electronics, designing and developing in CAD/ CAM, developing a range of practical skills whilst working with wood.
Food & Nutrition: Bread pinwheels, savoury mince dish, Bakewell tart, rough puff pastry pie, mini gateaux

Subject Leader: Mr L Drane
Email: dranel@lytchett.org.uk

What are the aims of the course?

Throughout Years 7 to 9 students will have produced a wide range of exciting projects in Design and Technology using graphics, food, and resistant materials. If you particularly enjoyed the creative and practical side of the subject then you now have the opportunity to specialise in one of three subject areas at GCSE

Food Preparation and Nutrition
Design & Technology: Graphics
Design & Technology: Materials

In all three areas students will cover a wide range of activities. Over the two years they will develop their creative designing and making skills. Students will also improve their technical knowledge and begin to learn about various industrial processes. Students are rewarded for producing imaginative and high quality products. We hope they will develop interests that lead them to follow a wide variety of careers closely associated with these subjects.

Download Graphics Year 10 Curriculum Overview

Download Graphics Year 11 Curriculum Overview

How will the course be assessed?

All courses are split into two components:

Written paper 50%

Non Exam Assessment 50%

In Graphics and Materials, students are expected to work on one non-exam assessment project.

In Food, students are expected to work on two practical non-exam assessment tasks.

All 3 GCSEs have an enviable track record of high achievement when it comes to results. Many students traditionally exceed their target grades in these subjects.

Progression into the Sixth Form

Many students have enjoyed their GCSE studies so much that they go onto study A level Product Design or Food Science and Nutrition, both of which are highly successful courses.

GRAPHICS

Jobs associated with a Graphics qualification:

Product Designer
Interior Designer
Graphic Designer
Engineer
Architect
Illustrator

What will you study?

Graphics is a very creative subject in which you will be learning through designing and making.

Graphics involves:

drawing accurately in 2 and 3D to communicate ideas
designing and modelling a range of outcomes including small hand held products, packaging, pop up cards and a range of promotional items
using CAD and CAM to develop and produce your designs to a really high standard

Final exam projects have included making products such as board games, pop up books, musical instruments and events promotional items.

How might it be useful in the future?

Studying Graphics will give you an insight into the design world and related fields.

It will be helpful if you are looking for a creative career which uses lots of designing and problem solving, both by hand or using ICT.

The use of new technologies and CAD/CAM skills will allow you to develop as an effective and independent learner. Graphics involves developing study skills such as: research, investigation, designing, problem solving and evaluation.

What Year 11 students say about the course?

“Graphics is intellectually challenging but also fun, we have a great atmosphere which makes you want to succeed.”

“It gives you the freedom to do individual project work, which I really enjoy.”

Subject Leader: Mr L. Drane
Email: dranel@lytchett.org.uk

What are the aims of the course?

Throughout Years 7 to 9 students will have produced a wide range of exciting projects in Design and Technology using graphics, food, and resistant materials. If you particularly enjoyed the creative and practical side of the subject then you now have the opportunity to specialise in one of three subject areas at GCSE

Food Preparation and Nutrition
Design & Technology: Graphics
Design & Technology: Materials

In all three areas students will cover a wide range of activities. Over the two years they will develop their creative designing and making skills. Students will also improve their technical knowledge and begin to learn about various industrial processes. Students are rewarded for producing imaginative and high quality products. We hope they will develop interests that lead them to follow a wide variety of careers closely associated with these subjects.

Download Resistant Materials Year 10 Curriculum Overview

Download Resistant Materials Year 11 Curriculum Overview

How will the course be assessed?

All courses are split into two components:

Written paper 50%

Non Exam Assessment 50%

In Graphics and Materials, students are expected to work on one non-exam assessment project.

In Food students are expected to work on two practical non-exam assessment tasks.

All 3 GCSEs have an enviable track record of high achievement when it comes to results. Many students traditionally exceed their target grades in these subjects.

Progression into the Sixth Form

Many students have enjoyed their GCSE studies so much that they go onto study A level Product Design or Food Science and Nutrition, both of which are highly successful courses.

MATERIALS

Jobs associated with a Resistant Materials qualification:

Product Designer
Industrial Designer
Engineer
Inventor

What will you study?

If you enjoy designing and making then this is the course for you! Materials involves:

designing and making high quality products from wood, metal and plastics
learning about the materials and processes used in school and industry
developing both practical, graphical and ICT skills through project work such as designing and making flat pack furniture and completing a range of small projects to improve your knowledge of materials, tools and processes
many tasks include the use of computer based technologies such as laser cutting.

What Year 11 students say about the course?

“I love Materials as it allows you to design and use your creativity to make things which you couldn’t do in a normal classroom.”

How might it be useful in the future?

Materials will give you an insight into related sectors, such as architecture and engineering. It will prepare you to make informed decisions about further learning opportunities and career choices. The use of new technologies and CAD/CAM skills allows you to develop as an effective and independent learner. Materials involves developing study skills such as: research, investigation, design, problem solving and evaluation.

Subject Leader: Miss R Pugh
Email: pughr@lytchett.org.uk

What are the aims of the course?

Throughout Years 7 to 9 students will have produced a wide range of exciting projects in Design and Technology using graphics, food, and resistant materials. If you particularly enjoyed the creative and practical side of the subject then you now have the opportunity to specialise in one of three subject areas at GCSE

Food Preparation and Nutrition
Design & Technology: Graphics
Design & Technology: Materials

In all three areas students will cover a wide range of activities. Over the two years they will develop their creative designing and making skills. Students will also improve their technical knowledge and begin to learn about various industrial processes. Students are rewarded for producing imaginative and high quality products. We hope they will develop interests that lead them to follow a wide variety of careers closely associated with these subjects.

Download Food Year 10 Curriculum Overview

How will the course be assessed?

All courses are split into two components:

Written paper 50%

Non Exam Assessment 50%

In Graphics and Materials, students are expected to work on one non-exam assessment project.

In Food students are expected to work on two practical non-exam assessment tasks.

All 3 GCSEs have an enviable track record of high achievement when it comes to results. Many students traditionally exceed their target grades in these subjects.

Progression into the Sixth Form

Many students have enjoyed their GCSE studies so much that they go onto study A level Product Design or Food Science and Nutrition, both of which are highly successful courses.

Jobs associated with a Food qualification:
It can lead to Further Education/employment in a wide variety of areas, such as:

Product Development
Nutrition/Dietician
Food Marketing/Production
Catering/Chef

What will you study?

Food Preparation and Nutrition is a very exciting and creative subject in which you will be ‘learning-through-making’. Students will develop an understanding for British and international culinary traditions, and at the heart of the qualification is a focus on developing practical cookery skills and a strong understanding of nutrition.

You will complete two assessed tasks in year 11 that contribute to 50% of your total GCSE mark. In task one, you will have the opportunity to carry out practical experimentation to investigate and evaluate how ingredients work and why, linked to a chosen brief. In task two you will undertake a project around a chosen context. This task involves a 3 hour practical at the end, and requires students to plan, prepare and cook a range of dishes for their chosen context. Students will have the opportunities to develop new and essential practical skills throughout the course.

What Year 11 students say about the course?

“I love my food lessons because it is great to make very different foods and to be creative with ingredients.”

“I really enjoy my master classes. They have developed my confidence to have a go at new skills”

“Food is fun and I really enjoy it. The theory lessons are even fun! You can show off your independence and combine practical skills with knowledge and it is exciting to find out new things”

How might it be useful in the future?

As well as learning many practical and life skills, the course involves developing study skills such as: research, investigation, menu planning, problem solving and evaluation. The food industry is one of the largest employers in the UK.