Why are Dyson vacuum cleaners made in different colours? How are tennis racquets and hockey sticks manufactured? Is it important to recycle materials? Three questions that could be answered through Design and Technology.
The Design and Technology department is currently moving through a period of exciting development and rejuvenation. The subject is studied by all B Block pupils within a creative activities programme. The experience gained during curriculum time provides a foundation from which the subject can be studied to GCSE and then AS/A2 level. A Product Design approach is taken, which allows for the full breadth of projects to be produced, from hand craftsman to machine-based production, including CNC.
Possible projects for B Block pupils could be a clock based on 20th Century art or a graphical analysis of products such as kettles or i-pods. Within the GCSE course, more ambitious projects could be produced such as a lamp, child's toy or piece of storage. As skills and understanding develop, the AS/A2 course allows greater freedom and the projects are selected by the student. Here strong emphasis is placed on a specific need being recgonised, such as piece of flat-pack furniture for use in a boarding house study.
At the core of all Design and Technology acitvity is creative thought and expression, which is developed through practical and graphical presentation. Project work and independent study is an important element of the activity in the department. The department utilises ICT extensively and trips and visits are used to develop understanding of design and industrial processes. The design studio and workshop areas allow pupils to work in a wide range of materials, with the department available for coursework or personal projects outside of the academic timetable.