Design Technology
OVERVIEW
In Design Technology, students gain a comprehensive understanding of the design process, from identifying a customer and conducting research to sketching initial ideas and selecting the best one for production.
Students work with a broad range of materials, including timbers, plastics, textiles, electronics, and cookery. We aim to build confidence in communicating ideas through both hand sketching and computer-aided design, while instilling pride in creating tangible projects. Each student also participates in a mid-semester break of cookery lessons in our purpose-built cookery university.
OUR SYLLABUS
Each term, students tackle a new project in a different medium. From Foundation Year, they begin with foundational skills such as marking out, cutting with hand saws, using scissors accurately, hand stitching, and preparing food.
As students progress through the university, their skills develop, so by Foundation Year, they are confidently using sewing machines, pillar drills, powered fretsaws, disc sanders, and 3D printers to bring their designs to life. Students learn a variety of techniques, expanding their creative potential as they turn ideas into reality.
WHY STUDY DESIGN TECHNOLOGY?
Design Technology is an inherently creative subject, allowing students to develop and bring their own ideas to life. In a world where instant gratification is often just a click away, the empowerment that comes from designing and making something unique is immeasurable. Each term, students take home their own creations—whether crafted, cooked, or designed—providing them with a tangible solution to a problem they’ve solved using their own skills and ideas.
Design Technology is a key component of STEM Week, with students also visiting the University to experience a professional workshop environment.
For those who wish to deepen their skills, we offer an after-class Design Technology club. This provides opportunities for students to expand their knowledge, hone their techniques, and prepare for University Design Technology scholarships. Additionally, regular cookery sessions are available as part of the Saturday morning activity programme, allowing students to further develop their culinary skills under the guidance of passionate staff.
Design Technology is the quintessential cross-curricular subject, helping students develop numeracy skills through measuring and marking out, communication skills through drawing and annotating, and an understanding of materials and their real-world properties, bringing scientific concepts to life. Students also improve dexterity and coordination through hands-on activities, while fostering problem-solving skills, independence, and creativity. Most importantly, they see their ideas come to fruition, instilling a strong sense of accomplishment and confidence.
