KS4 Design Technology

KS4 Curriculum:

All Design and Technology courses will give students the opportunity to undertake assignments in which they will design and make products, relating them to industrial practices.  They will also study commercial products, analyse their construction and evaluate their effectiveness. Students will have the option to study one of the GCSE Design and Technology options.  These are: Product Design or Food Technology and Graphics.

Product Design

The course involves using a range of Graphical and Practical skills to design and manufacture products in a wide variety of materials. The subject is made up of four distinct units studied over the two year GCSE course and incorporates a new and exciting type of assessment. The focus will be on pupil’s imagination, innovation and flair for designing and making.

The GCSE Product Design course is made up of the following four mandatory units: Designing Influences, Designing and Making Innovation Challenge, Developing and Applying Design Skills and Making, Testing and Marketing Products.  Designing Influences and the Innovation Challenge are examined during year 10 and the grades are given during year 10.  The latter two units Developing and Applying Design Skills and Making, Testing and Marketing Products are examined in January and June of  year 11.

Food Technology (Home Economics: Food and Nutrition) 

This is a food based practical course, requiring students to:
•        Produce a wide selection of food products to suit practical situations.
•        Be able to identify the issues and problems and then use their knowledge to justify a good selection of suitable dishes to make.
 
This course provides the opportunity for students to investigate the complex nature of food as a material – its properties, the effects of processing, the selection of tools and the methods for cutting, forming, shaping and finishing.  The knowledge and experience will be developed through short practical tasks and assignments, wherever possible related to industrial practices and processes.

Graphics

The OCR GCSE Graphics course provides an innovative and imaginative qualification, inspiring and motivating pupils through a broad and coherent course of study.

 What is Graphics?

Graphics focuses on visual communication and presentation. As a designer you will design and make a product that usually incorporates typography, imagery and colour. A graphic product can either be 2D (e.g. leaflet) or 3D (e.g. package).

What careers benefit from having a GCSE in Graphics?

The Graphics GCSE involves the use of many important skills such as accuracy, creativity, presentation, CAD/CAM knowledge, to name a few. The following list identifies some of the careers where a Graphics GCSE would be of use:

• Graphic Designer
• Illustrator
• Website Designer
• Product Designer
• Interior Designer
• Engineer
• Architect
• Fashion/ Textiles
• Creative/ Art Director
• Window Dresser
• Theatre/ Set Design
• Advertising