Curriculum Intent

Our broad and diverse curriculum equips students with the knowledge and practical skills they need to excel both in their studies and in life beyond school. Designed with careful, backward planning, our curriculum aligns with the requirements of the national curriculum at Key Stage 3 (KS3) and the qualifications offered at Key Stage 4 (KS4). Throughout KS3, we challenge students to achieve their personal best, offering a curriculum grounded in breadth, depth, and rigour. We focus on teaching a range of essential skills that will expose students to the full breadth of Design and Technology while also revisiting key concepts at deeper levels across each year group.

The aim of the Design and Technology curriculum is to ensure all students:

  • Develop the creative, technical, and practical expertise needed to complete everyday tasks confidently and succeed in an increasingly technological world.
  • Build and apply a broad set of knowledge, understanding, and skills to design and create high-quality prototypes and products for a diverse range of users.
  • Critique, evaluate, and test their own ideas and products, as well as those of others.
  • Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn to prepare and cook a variety of foods.

KS3

The KS3 curriculum is delivered through a linear teacher model, where teachers remain with their class for the entire academic year. This approach supports a collaborative teaching environment, allowing staff the flexibility to organize the module content according to the needs of their groups.

In KS3, the curriculum is divided into two areas: Food Preparation and Nutrition and Design and Technology with a focus on timbers, plastics and metal products. Students rotate through these areas, spending a term in each subject area in Year 7 and 8. The focus of these modules is primarily on practical skills, ensuring that students engage with hands-on projects and develop the core competencies they will need in KS4.

Year 7 Design & Technology Long Term Plan

Year 8 Design & Technology Long Term Plan

Year 9 Food Technology Long Term Plan

Year 9 Design & Technology Long Term Plan

KS4

At KS4, students can choose from a range of qualifications offered by the Design and Technology department, ensuring that their course aligns with both their interests and future aspirations. The options include:

  • GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
  • GCSE Design and Technology (Timbers)

The KS4 options allow students to select the path best suited to their interests and career goals. Formal mock exams are held regularly throughout the year, with the frequency tailored to the needs of each cohort. As students progress through KS4, they build on the theoretical and practical skills developed in KS3, responding to a range of design challenges.

In Year 9 and 10, students focus on mastering the specific skills required for their chosen courses, with a particular emphasis on preparing for the Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) in

Year 11. In GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition this includes two NEA projects. Throughout the course, we aim to enhance students’ retention of knowledge, boost their confidence in preparation for assessments, and ensure they are fully equipped for their GCSE exams and for life beyond school.

In our Design and Technology courses, we strive to foster a sense of achievement, curiosity, and resilience, ensuring that students leave with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in both their academic and professional futures.

Year 10 Food Technology Long Term Plan

Year 11 Food Technology Long Term Plan

Year 10 Design & Technology Long Term Plan

Year 11 Design & Technology Long Term Plan