Design Technology
OVERVIEW
In Design Technology, pupils gain a comprehensive understanding of the design process, from identifying a customer and conducting research to sketching initial ideas and selecting the best one for production.
Students work with a broad range of materials, including timbers, plastics, textiles, electronics, and cookery. We aim to build confidence in communicating ideas through both hand sketching and computer-aided design, while instilling pride in creating tangible projects. Each pupil also participates in a half-term of cookery lessons in our purpose-built cookery school.
OUR SYLLABUS
Each term, students tackle a new project in a different medium. From Year 3, they begin with foundational skills such as marking out, cutting with hand saws, using scissors accurately, hand stitching, and preparing food.
As pupils progress through the school, their skills develop, so by Year 8, they are confidently using sewing machines, pillar drills, powered fretsaws, disc sanders, and 3D printers to bring their designs to life. Pupils learn a variety of techniques, expanding their creative potential as they turn ideas into reality.
WHY STUDY DESIGN TECHNOLOGY?
Design Technology is an inherently creative subject, allowing students to develop and bring their own ideas to life. In a world where instant gratification is often just a click away, the empowerment that comes from designing and making something unique is immeasurable. Each term, students take home their own creations—whether crafted, cooked, or designed—providing them with a tangible solution to a problem they’ve solved using their own skills and ideas.
Design Technology is a key component of STEM Week, with pupils also visiting the Senior School to experience a professional workshop environment.
For those who wish to deepen their skills, we offer an after-school Design Technology club. This provides opportunities for students to expand their knowledge, hone their techniques, and prepare for Senior School Design Technology scholarships. Additionally, regular cookery sessions are available as part of the Saturday morning activity programme, allowing pupils to further develop their culinary skills under the guidance of passionate staff.
Design Technology is the quintessential cross-curricular subject, helping students develop numeracy skills through measuring and marking out, communication skills through drawing and annotating, and an understanding of materials and their real-world properties, bringing scientific concepts to life. Pupils also improve dexterity and coordination through hands-on activities, while fostering problem-solving skills, independence, and creativity. Most importantly, they see their ideas come to fruition, instilling a strong sense of accomplishment and confidence.
