DT lessons at Harrow Way are a dynamic, creative and exciting space for learning while promoting innovation and excellence. We set high standards and expectations for our students so they feel proud of what they have learnt and created. Success further up the school really begins with a good foundation of knowledge and skills delivered with a challenging and engaging approach. Assessment happens in all lessons through verbal and written feedback, with an emphasis on celebrating positive achievement, engagement and effort.

All projects through Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 are designed to build confidence and skills across a wide range of materials, techniques and processes using a variety of applications including graphic products, woods, metals, plastics, textiles, composite, smart and modern materials, electronics, systems and control, computer aided design, computer aided manufacture (3D printing, craft robo) and culinary arts. Each project involves practical work and considers a user, purpose, form and function, whilst encouraging risk taking in design decisions. All students are encouraged to think, explore, inquire, challenge and question with lessons taught in mixed ability groups.

In DT, students research and explore a variety of real life contexts, working as design investigators and creating solutions to the design problems they have found. This includes reshaping a design brief to develop a design specification and informs the development and manufacture of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to the needs of a customer in a variety of situations.

During KS3, students explore different design approaches including biomimicry, iterative and user-centred design to generate creative ideas and use annotated sketches, detailed plans and 3D modelling to present their findings. Students manufacture their designs using specialist tools, techniques and processes whilst considering the material properties they are dealing with. Evaluation is initially based upon analysis of past and present professionals to develop and broaden their understanding while continuously considering new and emerging technologies, before evaluating their own final products.

In Catering pupils gain a wealth of practical experience and cook every other week in our catering room. Pupils study areas focused around nutritional understanding and investigate food choices for different groups such as vegetarians, coeliac sufferers, food choice based on religion or culture. This underpins any continued study into culinary arts for pupils who choose to take the subject at KS4.

The KS3 curriculum is delivered in four rotations which focus on different specialisms for a 9 or 10 week period per rotation with pupils studying the following broad and varied range of mini-projects:

The catering course in Year 9 introduces some of the core knowledge and skills pupils will be building on if they continue the course into Years 10 and 11. They will investigate elements such as the kitchen brigade, the hospitality and catering industry and the practices of the industry as well as being part of a large amount of practicals to build skills in areas such as pastries, pasta, cakes, bread and fish and meat preparation and cooking.

As a nation, we are in a time of change and uncertainty yet there are areas of our economy where we currently have severe shortfalls. There are simply not enough people leaving university in the engineering sectors for the amount of jobs. The UK has always lead in these sectors of industry and the Government’s Industrial Strategy sets out to fill the employment gap by promoting STEM subjects. This subject is a good foundation step to access design and engineering careers. You will have the opportunity to design both functional and aesthetically pleasing products, with creativity and originality, using a range of materials and techniques and seek to solve real life design problems.

Future pathways include; A level Product Design at college or sixth form, creative apprenticeships in design and engineering, careers as a product designer, interior designer, model maker, textile/fashion designer, careers in construction and engineering, architecture, stage and set designer, graphic designer, computer games concept designer plus many more.

Design Ventura: A collaborative, real time, ‘Dragon’s Den’ style design challenge and competition run by The Design Museum in London which focuses on developing pupils creativity, innovation and business skills in order to potentially get a product into mass production and on the shelves of the design museum shop.

Architecture: This project allow pupils to investigate the work of designers such as Renzo Piano (The Shard) and draw on a range of influences in order to design a technologically advanced, sustainable building of choice. Pupils will develop their own briefs and specifications in order to create a product that answers a sociological need and has a positive impact on selected groups of people.

Amplifier: Pupils will be introduced to electronic systems in this project and will draw on their workshop and design experience to create a fully functional amplifier to be used with a mobile device. The end product will culminate in the use of a variety of different materials, skills and design methods in order to produce a high quality end product.

Automata: During the automata project, pupils will investigate a range of mechanical systems and devices in order to design and make a piece of automata. Pupils will be given a context to investigate for their project and will explore this in order to create a strong design brief to work from for a specific identified target audience. As part of the project, pupils will also create a well planned manufacturing specification, all the while, developing skills and knowledge in preparation for the Design Technology GCSE.