Westholme School - Design Technology

Design Technology

Through our delivery of Design Technology at Key Stage 3 we allow our pupils to experience a range of creative and practical activities, working within the areas of Food, Product Design and Textiles.

Our schemes of work afford the girls opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and understanding in these areas. Many of our pupils opt for at least one of these practical subjects at GCSE: and, due to the fact that we offer Home Economics Food at GCSE and Design Technology Product Design and Textiles, our pupils are able to choose two of these options.

The courses we have designed provide a sound basis for girls wishing to continue to AS and A2 level as well as giving a solid grounding for essential life skills, such as the importance of healthy eating and also dexterity with the manipulation of various tools, machines and equipment.

In Product Design lessons, students study a wide range of topics including materials, components, processes, different joining methods, industrial practices, health and safety, and environmental issues - to name but a few.

Our students learn how massively important design is and that without product design our built environment simply would not be here. Everything man- made, pencil through to a jet engine, has been designed.

Westholme students benefit from an hour a week of product design for around 10 weeks in Years 7 and 9. They have an hour a week for half of the year in Year 8.

Our current Year 7 project is to design and make a mechanical toy based on a cartoon or similar theme. Learning about various materials, paints, colour mixing, mechanisms, motion and movement as well as learning to use many new tools and machines.

In Year 8 our students are creating an "Amazing Maze" travel game to keep children entertained on long journeys. In this project they experience using acrylic and polystyrene sheets as well as learning how to use the vacuum forming machine. They then design and create their own pewter cast key ring or pendent learning about the casting process and some of the properties of metal.

The Year 9 programme of study is more of an open ended creative task. The students have to create a test tube holder vase, showing off as many skills as possible and using a wide range of materials and techniques. Typical themes vary from hearts and flowers, butterflies, ice creams to Christmas scenes and modern art.

The GCSE course is very popular with an exciting range of topics and projects. Students experience a range of mini projects in Year 10 covering graphic design issues like logos, corporate identity, colour schemes, mood boards, nets, packaging, printing techniques CAD/CAM sticker making, re-styling a hand held electrical device, pewter casting, line bending and vacuum forming.

This year there are two classes in which each student has designed and made a new style of collection box for a charity of their choice. To go with it they have made a matching key ring and leaflet holder. The next project was to re-style and model any hand held electrical device such as an MP3 player, mobile phone or television remote control. The final mini project is to make an intricate pewter cast pendent or phone charm decorated with engraving.

Towards the end of year ten and throughout year eleven our students work on their course work project. For this task students have a free choice and make varied and professional looking products. Recent project outcomes have included jewelry boxes, party packs, make up storage boxes, mirrored wall units, horse riding jackets, restaurant staff uniforms, coffee tables, perfume bottles with packaging and point of sale displays, menu and condiment holders for cafes, toys, games tables, children's chairs and wedding packs. The possibilities are endless and every year our talented, imaginative students surprise us with new and innovative products that look good enough to be sold on the high street.

At AS and A2 Level, our students once again have a free choice for their coursework task and have made some amazing products. Examples of which include, luminous water-proof light-flashing horse jackets to enable horse riders to ride at night, tables and other items of furniture, model making projects producing: an idiot-proof mobile phone for the elderly or young children, a funky shaped iron and a sport universal-boot that can be clipped on to skis, ice skates, roller skates and snow boards. A really innovative idea was a yoghurt dispenser which dispensed a pot of yoghurt of your chosen flavour and when you placed your pot back in the machine washed and re-used it! The theory work in Years twelve and thirteen covers a similarly wide range of subjects.

Back to Curriculum

Feb 8, 2012

Law Seminar

quiz night Alumni Careers Seminar