KEY STAGE 4

YEARS 10 & 11

FOOD TECHNOLOGY: students that have chosen this as their technology GCSE learn to prepare investigations into Basic Foods and the various skills associated with the Food Industry, such as:

• Disassembly
• Quality Control
• Product Development

For their coursework preparation they choose a topic from a number of school set topics and the student constructs a portfolio, having worked through the statutory sections, alongside this, knowledge is acquired in preparation for the terminal exam.

TEXTILES: this course is designed to enable the students to focus on either Interior Design or Fashion. Students through the course build up work completed in Key Stage 3, develop a working knowledge of textiles looking at:

MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS

• Where fabrics and fibres come from
• How fibres and fabrics are made
• Smart Fabrics
• Dyeing and Printing
• Fabric decoration
• Investigating threads and fastenings

DESIGN AND MARKET INFLUENCES

• Product Analysis
• Quality Assurance
• Product Design

PROCESSES AND MANUFACTURE

• Selecting and using the correct equipment
• CAD / CAM
• Production Processes
• Advertising and Marketing

In Year 10 students undertake the following projects:

• Investigation of the Sewing Machine
• Work on Fibres and Fabrics
• Christmas Decorations
• They use “Fittingly Sew” to design and make a skirt at 40% of the normal size
• Fabric colouring and decoration.

In Year 11 most of the year is taken up with the production of the coursework project and exam preparation. Possible coursework projects are as follows:

• Design a range of winter casual wear for teenagers based on an Oriental theme. Make at least 1 item.
• An Art Gallery wants a range of waistcoats and accessories designed using the Impressionists as inspiration.
• A modern home furnishing store has asked you to design a range of educational products for 1-2 year olds, using a jungle theme.

Students are allowed to devise their own project title if they are particularly interested in an aspect of design; this is of course within reason.

ASSESSMENT: is by a 2 written paper at the end of the course, which totals 40% of the final mark.
Coursework project completed in class time, (plus homework) which totals 60% of the final mark.

ELECTRONICS: in year 10 the students work on the following projects:

• Moisture Sensor
• 555 chip based timer
• Logic based alarm project

In year 11 students’ concentrate on their major project, this is of their own choosing and follows the guidelines as set down by AQA/NEAB Electronic Products Full Course.

RESISTANT MATERIALS: During year 10 the students will complete various mini projects using wood, metal and plastic. They will also have to complete some design work and present it to the standard that is expected for GCSE work. At the end of year 10 the students will decide on a major project that they will design and make. This will be marked as their coursework and will account for 60% of their final GCSE grade. All students will sit a final theory paper at the end of year 11.
GRAPHICS: year 10 students produce minor projects such as:

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