Overview
Design and technology at St Wilfrids offers students a wide variety of teaching that covers all aspects of the curriculum. It is our aim to give all students the opportunity to learn various skills allowing them to become independent and creative problem solvers.

Key Stage 3
Through Years 7, 8 and 9 pupils rotate through a project carousel which focuses on a different skill every 10 weeks. These skills include Resistant materials (wood and metal work) Textiles, Food, Graphics and Systems and Control (Electronics). Throughout these projects we try to cover the theory behind design as well as covering as much of the practical side as possible. By the end of Key Stage 3 all pupils should understand the underlying principles of design and be able to take a design from its initial idea right through to making.

Key Stage 4
In Year 10 and 11 the ideas covered during KS3 are expanded upon and covered in more detail with a lot more emphasis put on the end user of their products. OCR GCSE in Product Design qualification is made up of two assessed units.

Unit 1

Principles of Design and Technology (100 marks) 2 hours written paper 50% of total GCSE

This unit brings together the learners ‘core’ and ‘in-depth’ knowledge and understanding.

The question paper is split into two sections. A minimum of 15% of the paper will assess learners’ mathematical skills as applied within a design and technology context.

Unit 2

Iterative Design Challenge project. 50% of total GCSE

This component offers the opportunity for learners to design, model and make a product. Pupils are given a choice of challenges will be released on 1 June each year