Our Design and Technology curriculum is intended to encourage students to be creative, innovative and critical evaluators. We are steered by the National Curriculum and use its guidance to give our students opportunities to ‘take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens’ (NC page 234).
We believe that an inspiring and useful design and technology curriculum encourages students to use their creative minds to design and build using a range of materials and processes. Our design and technology curriculum is weighted heavily towards cooking and nutrition however we also incorporate wood work, graphics and sculpture into the programme.
Our intention is that during their time at the school, students will gain greater knowledge, skills and understanding of the following key design and technology concepts and learning:
⦁ Understand and apply principles of nutrition and learn how to cook;
⦁ Recognise the origins and heritage around the food that they cook;
⦁ Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products;
⦁ Understand and be assured in using computer-based design programmes;
⦁ Use specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery with confidence.
In Key Stage 3, design and technology is taught as part of our Thematic Approaches to Learning programme (please see the TAL Policy for more information).
Students can also benefit from 1:1 or small group sessions in the cookery room as part of an individualised programme of study when relevant.
At Key Stage 4, students, who are keen to pursue a career in catering or the food industry, are able to undertake a cookery qualification either at school or at one of our Alternative Providers.
We are keen to ensure that the teaching of reading is explicit in all areas of the curriculum: in design and technology this includes learning and using key technical terms and following instructions such as recipes.
We monitor the impact of our teaching of design and technology through in-class assessments at Key Stage 3 and through exam board led assessments at Key Stage 4 as well as via our monitoring of the Quality of Education throughout the school.