Design and Technology: syllabus
Key Stage 3
The design and technology course at key stage 3 is one that has
continually undergone change. This has been firstly to meet changing
national curriculum guidelines, and secondly to fit new levels of
staffing, teaching time and
facilities. This
change has been productive in raising the levels and expectations of
both staff and pupils.
Our courses at key stage 3 build upon work
carried out in our feeder schools. However, a noticeable divergence
of ability still occurs. In a survey of our feeder schools, it was
clear that pupils joining us are still given very different
experiences in design and technology at key stage 2.
Work at key stage 3 is delivered in a
variety of ways. Some work is based around resource tasks, whilst
other work is capability task-based. Most work is a balance between
the two approaches. The following table shows this breakdown. The
key area that underpins all project work are those of design and
analysis.
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Capability tasks
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Resource tasks
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Year 7
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Clock design
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Steady hand game
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Torch design
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Structures
-
Materials
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Electronics*
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Graphics*
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|
Year 8
|
|
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Mass production*
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Mechanical control*
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Electronics systems
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Flat-pack furniture
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Money box
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Year 9
|
|
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Electronics
-
Materials
-
Engineering
-
Plastics
-
Card
|
* denotes tasks which incorporate
ICT.
Key Stage 4
Pupils currently choose one of the
following areas from the Edexcel syllabus: electronic products,
resistant materials, graphic products or engineering. All of these are taken as a
full course option and offer our students the opportunity to exploit
their differing talents and give equal opportunities of success at
GCSE. Students in Years 10 receive four periods of design and
technology per fortnight.
'A'
Level
Pupils taking ‘A’ level design &
technology study
Edexcel product design. Students sit exams in AS in June and
will continue with A2 in the following year. There are two options
open to those on the course: graphics or materials.
For more information:
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