Intent – What are we aiming to achieve through our curriculum?
- To develop their creativity through a variety of innovative and practical activities.
- To engage in an iterative process of designing and making.
- Select from and use specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery precisely.
- To select from and use a wider, more complex range of materials, and components, taking into account their properties.
- To ensure all students leave The Valley School with a Design and Technology qualification which reflects the best of their ability.
Implementation – How are we delivering our curriculum?
- The KS3 curriculum is designed to build and expand on previous skills and subject knowledge, over a 3-year period.
- It also plans for opportunities for repetition to embed knowledge, increasing the chance of information recall and to integrate new knowledge into larger ideas.
- Students produce a variety of real life products, expanding their knowledge of how they look and work, teaching students to evaluate products against purpose.
- For each project, students follow the design-make and evaluate sequence, allowing students time to reflect upon their design and products and think of ways that they could be improved or adapted. Teachers support and model to enable students to create products of a high-quality throughout school.
- During KS4 Design and Technology offers two modules of the BTEC Vocational qualification as an Option. Carpentry in year 10 and Plumbing in Year 11.
Impact – What difference is the curriculum making to our students?
- In Design and Technology, the vast majority of students meet or exceed their expected progress, based on their starting points.
- Functional skills and life-skills are embedded in the Design and Technology curriculum and are personalised for each pupil.
- The very large majority of students are on track to meet or exceed their expected outcomes in Year 11 (BTEC qualifications).
- When students complete Plumbing in year 11, they will have built on the existing qualification in year 10 Carpentry from the BTEC externally accredited qualifications, or external awards which reflect the pupil’s best ability.
- Students are well-prepared for the next stage of their education.
Key Stage 3 Learning Journey
Key Stage 4 Learning Journey
Students who wish to do so can choose Design and Technology as an option choice during Key Stage 4.
