In years 7 and 8 our students move round a series of design and make assignments which are delivered by specialist teachers in specialist rooms. We follow the full National Curriculum and projects include Food Technology, Systems and Control Technology, Resistant Materials Technology, Textiles Technology and Graphics Skills Tasks. The aim in each project brief is to introduce and develop material specific skills as well as helping each student to learn to apply a creative and analytical approach to problem solving. We design the projects to appeal to both genders and all abilities. Every student has access to the full curriculum as they move through the projects, gaining experience and confidence working with the full range of materials. The specific projects we use are reviewed and developed each year, but are generally focussed on the following:
Year 7
- Food – learning nutrition, healthy diet, safe cooking practices and basic cooking skills.
- Textiles – learning to use a sewing machine accurately and safely as well as developing functional and decorative hand sewing skills to create a marketable functional product.
- Resistant Materials – learning to work accurately with wood using a range of hand and machine tools. Including marking out, drilling, cutting (by hand and with a hegner saw), joining and finishing.
- Systems and Control – learning to use basic electronic components and PCBs to create working circuits – including fault finding and simulation of circuits using I.C.T.
- Graphics – learning to present ideas using a range of skills including 2D and 3D sketching and ICT. This is delivered as a strand in every project as well as in a distinct project brief.
Year 8
Students continue to develop their understanding and skills on these themes, broadening their experience by using a wider range of materials and increased use of CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture).
