Design and Technology
At Trinity, Design and Technology is a practical and highly creative subject area that helps students develop the skills required to thrive in an increasingly technological world. Drawing on disciplines such as Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Computing and Art, Design and Technology enables students to develop an iterative process to designing and making. Students are encouraged to explore a range of domestic, local and industrial contexts. At Key Stage 3 in Design and Technology, students rotate around three different areas: Resistant Materials; Food Preparation and Nutrition; and Textile Design.
- Resistant Materials - Students will learn how to work with card, polymers and timber. They will be introduced to a range of processes and machinery. They will also learn about contrasting design movements such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau, then use these as inspiration to design a backing to the maze game. Later students will learn about mechanisms, properties of timber and build on their knowledge of the design process to design an automaton toy. They will manufacture a timber frame and mechanisms for the automaton they have designed. Students will be introduced to a range of tools, machines and processes for woodwork.
- Food Preparation and Nutrition – Students will learn to cook and evaluate four dishes that will teach basic cooking skills. They will then use these skills to design, plan and make their own healthy burger or kebab. Through the ‘Nutrition and the Eatwell Plate’ topic students will build on their practical skills to learn how to cook different healthy dishes, each with a different nutritional focus. They will then design, plan, make and evaluate their own balanced, healthy main meal.
- Textile Design – Textiles pencil case: students will design and make a pencil case based a range of iconic designers and design movements, one of which they will choose to develop further. They will learn how to develop designs and use the sewing machines for the first time. They will also learn printing, applique and embroidery methods. Later students will develop an understanding of the impact of products on the environment. They will learn how to design and make a reusable bags and print their own fabric. Students will develop their sewing machine skills, applique, printing and embroidery methods
Within these topic areas students will develop an understanding of how to develop and communicate design concepts and ideas through a wide range of technical drawing and rendering skills, culminating in final presentation drawings of an iconic product produced by a designer and/or design movement linked to those studied at later at GCSE.
After Key stage 3 students have variety of pathways open to them:
Design and Technology
GCSE Design and Technology will prepare students to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world. Students will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and Technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Students will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise.
GCSE study allows students to study core technical and designing and making principles, materials techniques and equipment. They will also have the opportunity to study specialist technical principles in greater depth.
Food Preparation and Nutrition
Food Preparation and Nutrition equips learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. It encourages learners to cook, enables them to make informed decisions about food and nutrition and allows them to acquire knowledge in order to be able to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life.
Hospitality and Catering Level 1/2 Award
The vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering has been designed to support learners in schools and colleges who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study. It is a foundation for further study which would provide learners with the opportunity to develop a range of specialist and general skills that would support their progression to employment. This can range from waiting staff, receptionists and catering assistants to chefs, hotel and bar managers and food technologists in food manufacturing. Upon completion of this course, students will be qualified to go on to further study, or embark on an apprenticeship or full time career in the catering or food industries.
In the Sixth form the department offers an A level in Product Design. This creative and thought-provoking qualification gives students the practical skills, theoretical knowledge and confidence to succeed in a number of careers, especially those in the creative industries. Students will investigate historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic influences on design and technology, whilst enjoying opportunities to put their learning in to practice by producing prototypes of their choice. Students will gain a real understanding of what it means to be a designer, alongside the knowledge and skills sought by higher education and employers.
SEND and Design and Technology at Trinity
At Trinity It is an expectation that all lessons and wider resourcing has effective provision for students with SEND so that they can make equal progress to their peers. SEND data is analysed and used to inform planning and interventions where necessary.
In Design and Technology all teachers consider the needs of SEND students in three ways.
Firstly, teachers consider a ‘seating check’ This means not only ensuring SEND students are seated in an easily accessible and visible place for the teacher to check progress and understanding, but also during practical tasks students will be assisted by our specialist technicians, sometimes on a one-to-one basis.
Secondly all resources are checked to ensure they are SEND friendly. In Design and Technology this means that we work from predesigned worksheets, where information is broken down into easily processed chunks and homework booklets are directly linked to lesson topics. In KS3, we keep large writing tasks to a minimum so that we can focus predominantly on the key words and phrases, understanding processes, and building other vital skills such as sketching, technical drawing, and basic prototyping and modelling.
Finally, the way Design and Technology is implemented at Trinity ensures all SEND students can make progress. This means that we will continuously adapt provisions for our students both during theory classes and practical tasks.
