Design and Technology

Welcome to Design and Technology

Design and Technology at Balcarras has something for everyone! Pupils gain skills and knowledge in a wide range of material areas including product design, food and nutrition and textiles. Our exciting projects develop pupils' independence, problem solving skills and allow them to make mistakes and learn from these. Design and Technology is the ultimate subject to apply knowledge from a range of other subjects including art, maths, geography, and business. Through D&T, these subjects can be brought to life in products that solve real world problems.

Design and Technology allows pupils to develop skills that employers want such as teamwork, problem solving and creativity. There are a huge range of careers linked to D&T – everything from interior design, graphic design, food science and fashion.

Design and Technology is a very popular subject at Balcarras School, and we pride ourselves in allowing our students to innovate, experiment and take risks in their design work. D&T at Balcarras is modern and forward-thinking and pupils thoroughly enjoy all aspects of the subject

The Department

The Design and Technology department comprises six teachers, supported by three technicians. The department occupies a suite of seven specialist rooms.

The department is highly successful at all key stages, and makes a significant contribution to the overall success of the school. This includes a strong record in external examinations at both GCSE and Advanced Level. Standards are excellent as the result of a well-structured curriculum that is well taught. The Design & Technology department enjoys the respect of the school and is well supported by parents and governors.

There is excellent access to ICT across the department and CADCAM is embedded within the KS3 and KS4 curriculum. We currently have seven 3D printers in the department as well as a CNC Router and Laser Cutter. ICT is an established element of GCSE courses and specialised software is used to develop design proposals and model practical solutions (CorelDraw, Crumble and SpaceClaim). The department uses e-portfolios in product design and textiles.

Curriculum map Key Stage 3

	Product Design	Product Design	Product Design	Food Preparation and Nutrition	Textiles
Year 7	Trick Deck Project	Block Bot Project	Zip Tag Project	Y7 Food and Nutrition Introduction to food	Day of the Dead Project
	Product Design	Product Design	Food Preparation and Nutrition	Food Preparation and Nutrition	Textiles
Year 8	Pinball Project	Chocolate Project	Y8 Food and Nutrition Eating for Health	Y8 Food and Nutrition Food analysis – understanding nutrition	Felt Shop Project
Year 9	Café Project	Bee Hotel Project	Y9 Food and Nutrition Bake Off	Y9 Food and Nutrition Food around the world	Decorative Panel Project

Curriculum map Product Design

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 10	Unit 1 Desk Organiser	Unit 2 Design Skills	Unit 3 Personalised Key Holder	Mock NEA Project		Non Exam Assessment
Year 11	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Exam Preparation	Exam Preparation
Year 12	Unit 1 Emergency Shelters	Unit 2 Bauhaus Desk Tidy	Unit 3 Mock NEA Project	Unit 3 Mock NEA Project	Unit 3 Mock NEA Project	Non Exam Assessment
Year 13	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Exam Preparation	Exam Preparation

Curriculum map Textiles

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 10	Unit 1 Technique and skill development	Unit 2 Designing and Designers		Mock NEA Project		Non Exam Assessment
Year 11	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment	Exam Preparation	Exam Preparation
Art Textiles A Level
Year 12	Unit 1 Structure		Mock NEA Project		Non Exam Assessment	Non Exam Assessment
Year 13	Personal Investigation	Personal Investigation	Exam Preparation		Practical Assessment

Curriculum map Food preparation and nutrition

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 10	Food commodities Fruit and vegetables	Food commodities Fats, oils and sugars	Food commodities Cereals	Food commodities Meat, fish and seeds, nuts and pulses	Food commodities Eggs, Trial examination	Food commodities Milk, cheese and cream
Year 11	Food science Non Exam Assessment 1	Non Exam Assessment 1/ 2 Trial examinations	Non Exam Assessment 2	Non Exam Assessment 2	Exam Preparation	Exam Preparation
Level 3 Food Science and Nutrition
Year 12	Unit 1 Meeting the nutritional needs of groups	Unit 1 Meeting the nutritional needs of groups	Unit 1 Meeting the nutritional needs of groups	Unit 1 Meeting the nutritional needs of groups	Exam preparation	Introduction to year 13 course
Year 13	Unit 3 Food production problems	Unit 3 Food production problems	Unit 2 Ensuring Food is safe	Unit2 Ensuring Food is safe	Unit2 Ensuring Food is safe 8 hours assessment	Study leave

Key Stage 3

A structured KS3 course ensures that all students experience the full range of design and technological activity. An induction course in year seven is followed by more in-depth activities where students are expected to work with a wide range of materials and components, including electronics. The department regularly monitors all aspects of the KS3 curriculum to ensure consistency of approach and delivery, and progress is tracked through a comprehensive recording system. The department works closely with feeder primaries.

GCSE

At Key Stage 4, students have the opportunity to follow Design and Technology courses to examination level, and we currently offer GCSE Design and Technology (product design and textiles specialisms), both AQA, and EDUQAS Food Preparation and Nutrition. Students are supported extensively throughout their courses with a broad range of VLE resources and after school sessions.

A level

Post-16, the department offers advanced level courses in D&T: Product Design (AQA) and Art and Design (Textiles) (AQA). We also offer Level 3 Food Science and Nutrition (WJEC). These courses lead onto a range of future study and career options as listed below:

Students go on to study a wide range of subjects after completing an A Level in Product Design including:

Product Design
Design Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Architecture
Furniture Design
Graphic Design
and many more...

Level 3 Food Science and Nutrition can help students pursue careers in:

Food Marketing and Advertising
Food Manufacturing
Food Product Development
Sport Science
As well as various healthcare settings..

Art Textiles future careers include:

Costume Design
Interior Design
Fabric Print Design
Fashion Design
Fashion Marketing

The department has strong links with local industry, and designers and engineers regularly visit the department to talk to students. Students are encouraged to take part in a range of extra curricular activities some of which are listed below

The Arkwright Scholarship Scheme
Kohler Mira STEM Events
Gloucestershire Rotary Technology Competition
Secondary Leaders Award

Jennifer Swanepoel
Head of Design & Technology