“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.”
– Ken Robinson
Powerful Knowledge in Design and Technology
In Design and Technology powerful knowledge is the realisation that most of the items or products we interact with on a daily basis are designed for a reason. Students should be made aware that design and invention provide solutions to problems that we may or may not recognise. Students will develop a wealth of high quality experiences within the design and technology sector. These will include an opportunity to learn and develop skills and knowledge essential to the iterative design process.
Technology gives students the opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone, to take risks and problem solve. Harnessing creativity to look for new innovative solutions to design-based problems. Design and Technology is the bridge between theory and application; it brings together real-world problems that are solved using creativity, innovation and enterprise in an applied way that opens up career opportunities for the future.
Curriculum Features
- Bringing technology alive using the latest CAD and CAM equipment.
- Learning how the technology industry is changing with new and exciting materials and processes.
- Developing an understanding of the latest technology advancements that are shaping the environment, and raising awareness of ecological and sustainability issues.
- Knowledge of important design role models, design movements and their origins from culture.
- Encouraging students to have inquisitive minds – not to accept what is presented to them, but to question why materials behave in the way they do, and understanding how their characteristics and origins can be manipulated and developed to create more useful and realistic outcomes.
- Having the ability to consider that alternative materials and power sources can be used to aid sustainability.
- A good understanding of how environmental considerations can impact design decisions, both positively and negatively, helping students to become conscientious consumers.
- Looking at a wide range of resources to see how they have inspired design, taking note of the evolution of nature and how Biomimicry has impacted the progress of design.
- Understanding how consumers interact with products and their environment, ensuring ergonomics and anthropometrics enable products to be fit for purpose.
Design and Technology gives students the opportunity to develop the iterative design process to provide solutions to given problems, developing the ability to argue, justify and present with confidence and clarity. Powerful knowledge enables students to discuss, evaluate and experiment as part of the iterative design process.
Co-Curricular Enrichment
Across Design and Technology we apply knowledge from mathematics and the sciences using theory to put ideas into action. We develop ideas based on historical and geographical contexts and take creative inspiration from art movements and designs. Through electives, competitions and challenges, we encourage students to broaden their cultural capital and use it to influence their design. Electives are offered for KS3 each term and are designed to support our Laurus cornerstone of Leadership & Service.