KEY STAGE 3

YEAR 7

FOOD TECHNOLOGY: Students are introduced to hygiene and safety; they start to learn basic practical skills through making simple dishes such as Fruit Salad, Apple Crumble, and Cheese Whip.

TEXTILES: Students design and make a Decorative Kite; their designs are based on geometric shapes. Basic skill development is the main focus of work in Year 7 including learning the following:

  • How to pin and tack
  • Use of the sewing machine
  • Drafting basic patterns
  • Design skills

BRIDGES AND STRUCTURES: Students learn about man-made and natural structures and forces that act upon them. They learn about different bridge types and design BEAM and CANTILEVER bridges, which they make from straws and card, with a partner. Testing the bridges with weights is great fun.

MINILIGHT: This project is based around Rapid Electronics key ring torch kit, which gives the students the experience of CAD/CAM with the opportunity of producing a ‘purchase quality’ Minilight.

ACRYLIC PICTURE FRAME: During this project students will learn about the different types and properties of plastic. They will also learn how to design and make using CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture). All students will experience these techniques when they machine their designs using the computer-operated router. Hand skills will also be developed in the final stages when they will polish and shape their picture frames using various hand tools.

CLOCKS: Students learn the ‘Design Process’, which is the basis of all Technology projects and workshop safety before designing and making a wall mounted or desktop clock. They have a free choice of design idea but they must follow a basic specification. The clock face is designed and cut out using CAD/CAM software. Students must then prepare the clock face for the clock mechanism and apply a suitable decorative finish.

YEAR 8

FOOD TECHNOLOGY: in this year students investigate Cereals and Staple Foods.
Skills are developed through making dishes such as Pies, Swiss Rolls and Pizza. They compare convenience foods versus traditional methods.

TEXTILES: year 8 students design and make a set of decorated juggling balls. Their designs should be based on the theme of the sea. This project is designed to help students develop the following skills:

  • Designing
  • Tie and Dye
  • Fabric Painting
  • The use of the sewing machine.

BOX PROJECT: based on the theme of the safe storage of small items, students use a variety of workshop tools to make a box with a lap joint. The corners are rounded using a disc sander and a decorative lid finishes the box. Tools used in this project include:

  • Scroll Saw
  • Try Square
  • Bench Hook
  • Tenon Saw

Their folder-work covers research into wood, joints, adhesives and fixtures.

YEAR 9

FOOD TECHNOLOGY: there are three main topics covered in year 9 and these are used to further develop investigational and practical skills; these include Healthy Eating, Yeast Mixtures and Bread making.

TEXTILES: during this year the students design and make a cushion, their designs are based on an Oriental theme. During this project students further develop the following skills or use some or all of the following techniques:

  • Design Skills
  • Tie and Dye
  • Fabric Painting
  • The use of the Sewing Machine
  • Quilting
  • Appliqué

GRAPHICS: students learn a variety of drawing and presentation skills, including ISOMETRIC and ORTHOGRAPHIC projection, through a project about identity and packaging. They design a monogram / logogram and apply it to a range of graphical products including stickers and cardboard / paper packaging using CAD / CAM.

COAT HOOK: students learn about basic metal working skills:

  • Marking – out
  • Filing
  • Bending
  • Drilling
  • Finishing

This enables the student to make a steel coat hook. They then attach this to a wooden back plate designed and made using CAD / CAM facilities. Students will research steel, its properties and uses, files and filing techniques.

CAD (Computer Aided Design): students are introduced to:

  • Techsoft 2D
  • Pro Desktop
  • Adobe Illustrator

This enables them to develop their CAD skills. These are industry standard software packages and are essential for any student to learn, especially those who are considering a design, engineering or technical career

MECHANICAL TOY: During this project students will design and make a mechanical toy of their own choice. All the students are given information on different mechanisms and shown how these can be used to create different movements. The students are then asked to use this information whilst designing their mechanical toy and produce design drawings in order to make a prototype mechanical toy. The final stages of this project are spent making the toy using various machines and hand skills.

DESK TIDY: During this project the students will design and make a three-dimensional desk tidy from a 4mm thick piece of plywood. All the designing will be done on the computer, and then the design will be cut out using the computer-operated router. The final stages of this project are to sand the edges, assemble their desk tidy and apply a suitable surface finish.
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