At Key Stage 3 pupils are given experience in Food, Product Design and Textiles through out Yrs 7,8 & 9. ICT Technology is studied additionally in Yr8 and Control Technology in Yr9. An emphasis is put on problem solving and pupils work through the design process as well as on focused tasks. All teachers contribute to the development of ‘in house’ schemes of work. In Product Design Yr7 pupils cover a number of basic graphic skills and use of a drawing board, parallel motion and set squares and design and manufacture a softwood stringed puppet. This introduces pupils to the safe use of traditional hand crafting tool, equipment and machinery and gives them an understanding of the properties of timber.
In Food the course covers all the basic skills necessary for pupils to be able to work safely in a domestic kitchen. Pupils start off by learning how to prepare ingredients for a Fresh Fruit Salad and Vegetable Salad. They then move on to learning how to use the various parts of the cooker by making fruit scones, pizzas, soups and mince pies. Other topics covered include healthy eating, food safety, packaging and meal planning.
In Textiles Year 7 design and manufacture an apron using tie dye techniques.
In Product Design Yr8 pupils design and make a piece of pewter jewellery. The Pendant, badge, broche or key fob has an acrylic insert. This introduces pupils to the casting process, use of metal shaping tools and equipment and to 2D Design software package.
In Food Year 8 pupils look at the function of ingredients in food products and the government guidelines for healthy eating. They are introduced to handling meat by make a chicken/quorn risotto, look at how eggs can hold air by making a swiss roll, consider the preservative properties of fat in a Victoria sponge cake, and look at the role of herbs and spices in flavouring party dip and sauces.
In Textiles Year 8 design and manufacture a mobile phone holder this develops their decorative techniques.
In Product Design Yr9 pupils design and make a travel puzzle for a child. This involves pupils in advanced use of 2D Design, many other ICT skills and the manufacture of puzzle pieces using a CNC engraver and a vacuum former to make the tray in which the puzzle sits. Pupils then design and manufacture a package for the puzzle.
In Food Year 9 pupils are shown how food products are prepared and cooked in industry by comparing how they make a Cumberland pie and bread product in class with videos of the identical product being made in a factory. They look at the use of standard componants such as pasta sauces and make their own lasagne. Smart, or modern, foods are investigated by tasting a range of foods. The final assessment for KS3 is to cook and present a whole meal including a bread roll, burger, salad and sauce – a real challenge in multi-tasking.
In Textiles Year 9 the pupils use Adobe Photoshop and dye sublimation printers to create prints that they then use to decorate different items.
The first half of the Year 9 ICT Course looks at "control" by teaching students how to plan and create an animation for two separate audiences; one familiar and one remote. Students design and create a web advert for a famous car brand and an educational e-safety animation for students entering the school. This involves a complex series of sequences. In the second half of the course requires students to plan and create a music website for a remote audience. They consider usability, copyright, web design and different forms of media.
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