Design & Technology at the RGS

All Design & Technology work with-in the Department is based on ‘Problem Solving’ where students are asked to Design and Make solutions to satisfy ‘Real or Perceived Needs’

Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 & 9)

At Key Stage 3 Design & Technology is one of the Circus Rotational Subjects and is therefore taught in groups of roughly 20, in three separate 13 week modules, in each of the three years. The subject is allocated one double period (1 hour 15 minutes) on the time-table each week. Students do not work from text books but are given internally prepared, module booklets, for each module. A homework task is set weekly.

In Year 7 students are taught the principles of a five stage ‘Design Process’ and are encouraged to work from this basic model in all modules.

I.E.  1.  PROBLEM.  2. DESIGN BRIEF. 3. PLANNING. 4. MAKING. 5. EVALUATION.

Modules in Year 7 incorporate designing skills such as: 2 and 3D freehand sketching, Orthographic Projection, Flow Charts. In practical situations a heavy emphasise is laid upon Health and Safety and all students are expected to work in a safe and organised manner, being fully aware that their actions will have an influence on both their own safety and that of others.

During the course of Year 7 students will use a variety of materials including wood, metal and acrylic and will experience a number of manufacturing techniques such as cutting, shaping and forming, sawing, hot-line bending, soldering and riveting.

Students also cover some theoretical background to ‘Structures’ and are asked to Design and Make a small bridge project, and then test it to destruction.

In Year 8 students are introduced to the theoretical aspects of ‘Mechanisms’ and design and make solutions to problems involving Levers and Linkages.

They also carry-out a focussed task that involves, carrying out Market Research activities before producing a solution that is based on traditional manufacturing techniques. In this module they are asked to design and make a solution within strict material limitations. This second module further develops design planning and organisational skills.

Whilst the third module is ‘Graphically’ based and specifically aims to develop student’s spatial awareness and allow them access to a wide range of graphical presentational techniques. During this module students are also introduced to CAD/CAM manufacturing techniques.

In Year 9 it is expected that students have mastered the basic principles of planning, organising and communicating their ideas effectively. So they are set more demanding problem solving tasks, in the first module they are involved in Analysis, Plans for Manufacture and significant development of CAD skills.

The second module further develops their understanding of ‘Mechanisms’ by setting them the task of producing a Mechanical Toy using Cams, Gears, Friction Drives and levers.

The third module involves the design and manufacture of a Novelty Clock.