Design & Technology

Design and Technology is 'the appliance of science'.

This statement seems to encapsulate all that we represent as it emphasises the fact that all our intellectual and creative activity in developing a new product is in response to genuine need; a solution to a real problem.

The 'design process' is a method we use to focus all our design activity, ensuring we arrive at a suitable solution efficiently, whatever media we are using. At Key Stage 3 we tend to direct and control the designing and making quite a bit until the students have built up some experience and confidence in their ability to design and make quality artefacts . As they become more mature they are given increasingly more challenging design briefs with more freedom to realise unique, individual and innovative solutions.

To be a successful design and technology student requires many skills and qualities. At the design phase they need to have an empathy with the future user and the environment within which it will function. Creative solutions will not only meet the functional requirements but also have an aesthetic quailty being easy to use. Realising the idea will demand high levels of craftsmanship; especially if the solution is complex or uses modern materials or new technologies.

The true test of a good piece of work is that it answers the design brief without any apparent compromise and also has an element of uniqueness in the way it looks.

Last updated: 02 October 2011

Learning Area Team Leader

Andrew Fair

Design & Technology teachers

Andrew Fair

Will Walshaw

Phil Chudley

Allison Joy

Susan Vanden

Hannah Thomas

Jan Watt

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