Design & Technology
Design and Technology lessons are held in a specialist workshop within the Design Centre and pupils use a range of tools and equipment to make produces from both traditional and new materials. A variety of teaching styles are used and independent research is encouraged. Emphasis is however placed on practical learning.
All Year 9 pupils study the subject to enable them to decide whether to continue at GCSE.
Shapwick’s Design and Technology Department has run very successful GCSE courses in Resistant Materials and Graphic Products for many years with exam results exceeding the national average by a large margin. The options now offered are particularly popular and utilise creative skills where many dyslexic children excel.
GCSE Engineering
The school offers GCSE Engineering at GCSE level. The modular structure will ultimately allow the department to offer courses tailored more to individual needs. The specification integrates designing, making and the applications of various technologies. Students cover work in many areas e.g. CAD/CAM, former and mould designing, hydraulics, pneumatics, electronics, mechanisms and learn the properties and uses of a range of traditional and smart materials that are used in modern engineering practices.
Shapwick students regularly visit local industries to see first hand how modern engineering is done.
GCSE Engineering is a useful introduction for Shapwick students who intend to continue to the Engineering or Manufacturing and Product Design diplomas or wish to follow a more vocational pathway into an Apprenticeship.
The GCSE assessment is based on 60% for folio/practical work, 40% examination.
The Double Award builds on the core provided by studying the Single Award content and so provides a coherent programme for learners. Most students who follow the Engineering course will follow the double award route as this is worth two GCSEs.
GCSE Product Design
This GCSE course has been designed to encourage students to design and make products with creativity and originality, using a range of materials and techniques.
Packaging, labelling and instructions are encouraged as part of the complete design proposal. Advertising, point of sale etc. can be used to supplement the making experience and help create products which can be evaluated for their commercial viability.
This course provides students with the opportunity to design and make products using a wide range of materials, whilst paper/card (as with Graphic Products) continue to be the compulsory material for study in this multi-material specification. It states that students must study at least one other material and are encouraged to develop an awareness of many other material areas.
Design work is presented in A3 folders, or electronically, whilst making can be evidenced in the form of a working or non-working prototype. As with Engineering assessments.