Design & Technology

Design and Technology js a highly successful department at all levels, with over 100 pupils opting to study GCSE each year, typically attaining 100% A- C pass rate with an 86% A*/A grade element.

The department has a reputation for requiring pupils to work hard and we feel that this has attracted able students who know that anyone obtaining qualifications in this subject has been subjected to academic rigour. Our results have been consistently outstanding, and many students take A Level in this subject and go on to relevant university courses.

As well as the Head of Department, we also have three other teachers and a full- time technician. The department comprises three fully equipped workshops, a CADCAM room, two graphics studios with computer facilities, and a wood-machining area.

The two general materials workshops are equipped with the usual equipment; strip heaters, vacuum former, Hegner Saws, band saw, disc sander, pillar drills and hand tools.

The third workshop contains the standard equipment from the other workshops and is also our metal skills room, housing the department's centre lathes, vertical mill and heat treatment facilities, such as the braising hearth, forge and facilities for aluminium sand-casting.

The School recently made a substantial investment in the development of its CADCAM facilities; this included the installation of a large plan Boxford CNC Router and eight computers in a dedicated suite.

The two graphics rooms are also fully equipped computer rooms with 20 PCs in each room, all running Photoshop and Publisher, along with many of the current pieces of web design software. These rooms also have large project tables and a range of A3 and A4 inkjet printers. The department also has a Roland CAMM 1. Both graphics studios have projectors and interactive white boards.

Design and Technology is taught to all pupils at Key Stage 3. Key Stage 3 pupils follow a 'carousel system', with the course content being delivered through a range of structured projects; this allows scope for the pupils to develop individual design within a framework covering the skills base set out in the Key Stage 3 curriculum.

Options in Resistant Materials and Graphic Products are offered through the OCR examination board at GCSE. The same subjects are also offered at AS/A2 level through Edexcel.

The department is always busy and seems never to close. We believe that is a very positive thing, because pupils know they can spend free time in the Design and Technology rooms: the Design and Technology Club meets every lunchtime.

Other extra-curricular activities include the engineering education scheme, which involves a team of three Year 12 students working on a brief set by an existing company and working closely with its engineers to solve the problem. Pupils also enter the Starpack packaging design and Rotary Young Innovator competitions.

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