Design Technology

Intent statement

The Mandeville school Design Technology curriculum is taught on a ‘carousel’ system to study all areas of the subject each year.

Design technology challenges deeper thinking by looking into the construction of everyday items. Students study everyday functioning products we take for granted, it expands students' knowledge of the world around them. Encouraging innovation to develop designs and products that push the boundaries of a fast-evolving world around them.

In Design Technology working as part of a team is an important part of our curriculum so we build in working collaboratively within our lessons.

Food Preparation and Nutrition is a subject that combines creativity and skills which helps develop confident, healthy, independent individuals.

Students who study Design Technology at the Mandeville School students become creators, critical thinkers and experts in problem solving who can flourish to become successful imaginative designers and capable citizens.

Links to the whole-school curriculum

The DT curriculum is aligned with the whole school curriculum. The art curriculum is designed to establish a kind community where everyone perseveres, achieves and flourishes; where we enable all to experience life to the full. In the art department we maintain the Mandeville school curriculum principles:

A kind community through a curriculum that respects the diversity of our school, valuing our rich knowledge, history and experiences.

Perseverance and achievement through a curriculum that is well sequenced, developing understanding, building retention and leading to academic achievement. Firm foundations in a three-year Key Stage 3 provide grounding for success in key stage four, key stage five and beyond.

Flourishing through a curriculum that nourishes personal development by giving students opportunities to explore their identity and grow their character. Students are equipped with knowledge of how to be healthy, sustain positive relationships and maintain wellbeing, all information needed to be able to make an effective contribution to society.

Enabling students to experience life to the full through a curriculum that inspires and enriches them with meaningful knowledge and cultural capital. High aspirations mean studying a broad range of subjects in key stage three and having a variety of routes through Key Stage Four and Five which are challenging and aspirational.

 In Key stage Three we have 5 ‘big ideas’ which we study. These are:

1) Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to design and create products
2) Develop more specific technical skills to aid and enhance this process
3) Explore the possibilities inherent in handling physical and resistant materials – familiarise students with materials, processes and equipment to develop strong practical making skills
4) Apply this repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high quality products for a wide range of user or client.
5) Critique, evaluate and test ideas and products on others.

Behind each of these big ideas is a series of ‘meaningful knowledge’. This is the age-related critical knowledge, understanding and skills which students MUST have so that they can reach our curriculum intent. By the end of Key Stage 3 will have met our curriculum intent through the 5 big ideas of the Mandeville Design Technology department so that students can show:

1. Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to design and create products
a) Use all the relevant equipment in the workshop confidently.
b) Make links to designers and makers. Examine products and design movements past and present and be able to explore their ideas within their own work.
c) c)Understand how to solve problems creatively, and adapt solutions to function efficiently in the changing world in which we live.
d) d)Understand that the design process is circular, and in a constant state of refinement and development.

2. Develop more specific technical skills to aid and enhance this process
a) Create technical drawings and plans to clearly communicate ideas, showing understanding of the iterative design process.
b) Follow design guidelines such as ACCESSFM and learn how to draft design specifications.

3. Explore the possibilities inherent in handling physical and resistant materials –
familiarise students with materials, processes and equipment to develop strong
practical making skills
a) Explore a variety of resistant materials and gain familiarity with challenging practical working methods
a) Attain skills and confidence in handling a range of tools and equipment relevant to the material.
b) Gain confidence and knowledge of potentially hazardous and challenging processes, and how to follow correct and safe procedure at all times.

4. Apply this repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and
make high quality products for a wide range of user or client.
a) Be able to discuss ideas with others and respond with positive criticism.
b) Re-examine things that haven’t gone well and learn from them.
c) c)Test products and think about outcomes.
d) d)Develop prototyping and modelling skills.

5. Critique, evaluate and test ideas and products on others
a) Realise that the client is at the centre of the design process.
b) Being able to evaluate on going ideas throughout the process.
c) Evaluate a finished product.

Curriculum Maps 

Curriculum Map Food Preparation and Nutrition (DT) KS3