Wymondham High Design Technology (Including Food Tech)
Design & Technology is an exciting and engaging subject which enables students explore the man-made world to develop a variety of knowledge and skills. Technical principles underpin the curriculum, leading students from their first experience of the subject in Y7 through to completion of complex projects demonstrating commercial design skills in Y13. We provide opportunities for students to work with a variety of material types and ingredients through the process of designing and manufacturing a selection of projects or dishes, consolidating their theoretical knowledge of the subject.
Our department objectives are to provide and regularly review a curriculum that:
- inspires interest in D&T in a wider context to the education setting
- allows students the opportunity to create and explore using a range of materials/ingredients, using a range of equipment and technology.
- challenges students appropriately at all levels to ensure that they maintain their thirst for learning.
- supports and scaffolds to engage all students to participate in all aspects.
- builds confidence in design, communication, analytical, evaluative and manufacturing skills.
Core: The objective of the core curriculum is to develop knowledge of a wide variety of materials/ingredients linking to the wider context of the subject; be it how to produce a sustainable product or how to develop a dish that has balanced nutritional content. By the end of the core curriculum, all students will have experienced a range of material areas, developing their problem solving, communication, analytical, evaluative and manufacturing skills. Through their work in D&T, they will experience the idea that failure can enhance your work, and the concepts behind making responsible decisions as designers/chefs.
Through delivery of this objective, we aim to inspire students’ interest in the wider subject, build confidence and give them freedom to enquire and express themselves through their practical outcomes. Students are assessed using the same assessment areas as the GCSE course to prepare them for making an informed choice when selecting courses.
Focussed: The focussed curriculum builds on the core curriculum whereby students are further refining their full suite of D&T skills. An exploration of the place of our subjects within their wider world context engages students with the key themes. They refine their knowledge on materials/ingredients and apply this to more complex design situations. Students discover more about processing materials/ingredients in their chosen area and become proficient in documenting and communicating their work.
Through delivery of the focussed curriculum for Food Preparation and Nutrition we aim to create proficient chefs who can manipulate ingredients to a high skill level, whilst also being able to confidently articulate the science and nutrition behind their dishes. Our Design & Technology students can confidently deliver a project from context to physical prototype, analysing and evaluating throughout this process. With a strong grounding the design theory, we aim to inspire students to better the world around them through their problem solving and communication skills. Both courses fully prepare students for their GCSE assessments.
Specialised: The specialised curriculum delivered within Product Design is an exciting and forward-looking curriculum. Designed to showcase the history and context of the design industry and then inspire students with how they can make an impact on the future of the design and engineering world. Students explore a range of projects in their first year, developing existing skills and learning new ones. Working as designers, they produce professional style portfolios preparing them for higher education settings. Their final year brings together all their skills to date and highlights their abilities as designers and engineers through the execution of a commercial design brief. The subject brings together learning from science, art, mathematics, business studies, geography and history to build a full picture of the knowledge required to enter the world of design and manufacturing.
By the end of the specialised curriculum, students are confident in their design, presentation, analysis, evaluative, reflective and manufacturing skills. They are articulate in the wider issues surrounding the design industry and ready to enter higher education or the world of work.
The D&T curriculum is planned and delivered in a way that allows students a strong grounding in all subject knowledge and practical skills before students decide which pathway to follow. Assessment areas are carefully structured to ensure that students are covering and consolidating skills on a regular basis. A balance of linked knowledge and project work brings full coverage of the curriculum and ensures students have full experience. The focussed curriculum explores all basic knowledge underpinning the subject area. Basic manufacturing skills are consolidated before moving to more challenging tasks. As students move through the courses, they become more specific and targeted to their chosen material type and more complex concepts and skills are tackled. Specialist curriculum is linked closely to the requirements in place by higher education institutions. Students are fully prepared for a life beyond school through detailed examination of the design process and wider design and engineering industry. Students are given responsibility in their NEA to develop a professional client relationship, enabling them to experience of production of a commercial prototype. Students are confident in using and applying the assessment criteria and develop independence in furthering their own work.
Throughout the curriculum students are challenged to develop their longterm memory through planning for consolidation of topics. Learning is interleaved to ensure that skills are revisited regularly. The underpinning knowledge for all levels of the curriculum is structured to build on and consolidate the previous learning. Students become proficient within their chosen subject area and are fully prepared for the next step at the end of each level.
Part of the core values of the department is to establish challenge and structure within all areas of the curriculum. Students should find D&T challenging and academic at all levels. D&T allows engagement through many means and gives opportunities to scaffold for students who require it. The mix of practical and theoretical application of knowledge both allow challenge and differentiation to support those who need it.
As a subject with many tangible real-world contexts, we strive to explore local links to industry. Within D&T we have good working relationships with local manufacturing companies who are helpful in providing materials to the school. Visits have been arranged for 6th form students to visit the manufacturing industry within the local area, which is inspiring and shows the context of the subject in the wider world. The department is looking to explore links with alumni who are now working in the design/engineering/food sector to build links to industry to enhance students' horizons of where the subject can take them to.
Curriculum objectives have been shared and discussed with the department team. Areas of the curriculum are under review this year to enhance the provision that is delivered. The department is conscious that the curriculum will regularly be reviewed to ensure that we continue to provide the best experience for all students that also meets our objectives. This is important in a subject where much of the subject matter, technology, develops and changes frequently.
