Design and Technology

Subject leader

Curriculum Intent

At The Turing School, the Design and Technology curriculum empowers students with the technical and creative expertise needed to succeed in an increasingly technological world. Through hands-on learning and critical thinking, students develop the ability to design and make products that solve real-world problems while considering the needs and values of themselves and others. This subject also instils an understanding of the lifecycle of products and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling materials; which we feel is crucial in tackling contemporary global issues.

Our curriculum not only equips students with valuable skills but also helps to cultivate a culture of innovation and resourcefulness. It promotes risk-taking and enterprising behaviour, essential qualities for success in any career. Moreover, it promotes respect for diversity and nurtures aspirations for personal and societal advancement. The subject also contributes to the development of cultural capital, which is essential in enabling students to make informed choices about their future careers and contribute to the wealth and wellbeing of the nation.

Curriculum implementation

Learning journey

KS3

During Key Stage 3 students will be using a range of materials, resources and machinery to create different products which they design, create and evaluate. As they progress through Key Stage 3, students will go on to further develop their skills, knowledge and ability to create more advanced products, culminating in the Year 9
Board Game project.

Year 7

At the start of Year 7, students will design and create a key fob, using both plywood and acrylic in their creations. They will then move on to design and create a Car Racer, looking at the different components used and how they work together. Students will be given a brief to work with, where the Car Racers have to be both designed aerodynamically and be visually pleasing as well. At the end of Year 7, students will research Alan Turing and create a Pride Flag celebrating his life and the Pride movement. They will be hand stitching during this project and looking and utilising a range of stitches.

Year 8

During Year 8, students will undertake three projects. They will plan and create their
own night light, considering the materials they will use and the impact that they will have. They will also look at electronics and how to create a switch for the light. They will then move on to creating a case for a device; they will have to identify the purpose of the case before planning and creating it using a range of materials. In this project the students will be introduced to the sewing machines, as well as using a range of stitches they have learned in Year 7. They will finish the year looking at their local ecosystem and creating a Bug Hotel, where they will create their own habitat environment for bugs and insects.

Year 9

In Year 9, students will use their skills and knowledge gained during their time at The Turing School to create their own electronic board game. They will spend time designing and creating their game, the pieces for their game, as well as integrating electronics to their final product. They will also create a bag to store their game and pieces in, complete with logo on the front.

Homework

At the beginning of each unit, students will be taught how to use different tools and machinery safely. They will then create safety posters for the different equipment used to show their understanding of how to use different tools and machinery safely. Students will also spend time investigating new technologies, machinery and resources that could be used in the future, both within the Design and Construction industries.