DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY (TEXTILES)
Curriculum lead
Miss V Hime - Curriculum Lead Art, Design & Technology, & Child Development
Curriculum Principles & Intent
The intent of the Design & Technology curriculum at Key Stage 3 is to develop students' creative thinking skills and understand how to make educated decisions about pathways forward within project work and the iterative design process. They will develop knowledge of different materials, their properties and their uses, how they can apply to fashion and textiles, industry processes and construction techniques. Students will need to learn how to become independent learners, how to take risks and be creative thinkers through the understanding of basic core principles.
Design and Technology will prepare students to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world. Students will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and Technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors. Students will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise.
Design & Technology Textiles at Key Stage 3 has a focus on materials and the design process which enables all students to understand design choices and the purpose of an iterative design process.
GCSE Specifications
Design & Technology (Textiles) Edexcel 1DT0
Exam Board: Edexcel
Design Technology is excellent for students that prefer learning in a practical way to achieve their full potential. It is ideal for those that enjoy a challenge, working with others and have an interest in designing as well as making. The theory of the course is taught in as practical a way as possible. Students are encouraged to learn at their own speed and in their own way, through asking questions, group work and class discussions.
Course Content:
On this course students will work with several different materials including wood, metal, plastics, and fabric in order to devise creative solutions for a brief. They will complete a number of small projects in order to develop their design and making skills. Students will be able to design and make products with creativity and originality, using a range of graphic and modelling materials. They will be given the opportunity to make product(s) using graphic media and new technologies to prepare for the world of work.
Throughout their projects, students will complete folder work which will build up a portfolio of skills and will be followed by an extended project in which they will design and make a product. In their final project, students will specialise in a particular area. Theory is taught through both traditional classroom activities and practical-based learning which are teacher and pupil led. Homework is set weekly (which can be doing an extra time in the workshop). Students have access to regular after school sessions if they wish to do extra work or catch up.
Mode of Assessment:
The practical section of the course makes up 50% of the final grade and is one extended project. The written exam is made up of a section covering all aspects of technology core theory and in the second section students choose one question on their chosen specialism.
BTEC Specifications
BTEC Award in Art and Design (Fashion and Textiles)
Course Content:
There are a number of different units that would appeal to the creative sides of students including:
- Investigating art and design practice in order to generate and communicate art and design ideas.
- Developing practical skills through application and review whilst recording and communicating the skills developed
- Demonstrate an understanding of a client needs, develop, produce and present a response to a client brief
Mode of Assessment:
The course is assessed through two internally marked projects taking the form of a fashion and textile sketchbook produced by the learner. This gives student the opportunity to investigate different fashion and textiles techniques and skills in lots of depth and creating their own outcomes. The third unit is an exam style unit where the learner will be given a client brief that they will be required to answer through art and design style research in the form of fashion and textiles. They will be expected to independently research the brief and communicate their process through to the production of a product and the formal evaluation of their journey.
Career Paths
The skills developed through an education in art and design are integral to many roles within the creative sector, which is a collection of exciting and vibrant industries including the fashion industry, textile production and interior design. Collectively, the creative industries contributed £4.1 billion to the UK economy in 2015, outpacing the overall growth of the economy by 2.5 per cent.