Product Design

Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)

Year 7

Theme: Iconic Design Movements – Clock for Design Museum Shop

Students will explore a key design movement, such as Memphis, to inspire their clock designs. They will analyse iconic shapes, along with forms, colours, and patterns to understand the movement's unique style. Using drawing techniques and CAD/CAM tools, they will refine their ideas and explore materials like acrylic & plywood while getting hands on with assembling the components for their products. The final clock, reflecting the chosen design movement, will be ready for display and have the potential to go on sale at the Design Museum's exhibition shop.

Year 8

Theme: Toy Car Redesign Project

Students redesign and construct a custom toy car in response to a design specification, focusing on rapid design principles and sustainability. Using materials like plywood, cardboard, and acrylic, they apply tools including tenon saws, laser cutters, and 3D printers. They explore CAD software and motorisation basics, fostering creativity and problem-solving. The project enhances precision, teamwork, and technical skills, resulting in a functional, personalised toy car that demonstrates craftsmanship and innovation, whilst presenting opportunities to delve into electronics & coding.

Year 9

Theme: Architectural model pavilion

Students explore pavilion design, combining creativity, engineering, and sustainability. Using cardboard, plywood, blocks, wood dowels & reclaimed materials, they develop models inspired by case studies and engineering concepts. They use tools like Tech Soft 2D Design and laser cutters, constructing walls, panels and integrating LED lighting. This project enhances problem-solving, material knowledge, and teamwork, culminating in a display-ready pavilion that reflects thoughtful design and craftsmanship.

Key Stage 4 (Year 10-11)

Year 10

3 Dimensional Design GCSE Course

This two-year course helps students develop creative and technical skills through three exciting projects. They will learn how to research, design, and make 3D products while exploring real-world design ideas.

Project One: Architectural Modelling
Students will explore architecture by studying a range of architectural outcomes, designers, artists, and design movements. They will strengthen their research and drawing skills and experiment with both traditional and digital modelling techniques. This project focuses on creating detailed models using a variety of materials and tools, leading to a final architectural design that showcases their creativity and technical abilities.

Project Two: Product Design
Students will work on designing a functional product, starting with research and analysis of other designers’ work. They will generate ideas, experiment with materials, and include technological features in their designs. By testing prototypes, seeking feedback, and making improvements, students will develop innovative and practical products.

Unit 3: Exam Unit
In their final project, students will apply all the skills they’ve learned to respond to a theme set by the exam board. They will produce a body of work and create a finished design during a ten-hour timed examination.

This course builds problem-solving, critical thinking, and technical skills, preparing students for further study or careers in design-related fields.

Year 11

Mini GCSE projects to accompany core content

· Students will acquire subject knowledge in design and technology that builds on Key Stage 3, incorporating knowledge and understanding of different materials and manufacturing processes in order to design and make, with confidence, prototypes in response to issues, needs, problems and opportunities.

· Students learn how to take design risks, helping them to become resourceful, innovative and enterprising citizens. They should develop an awareness of practices from the creative, engineering and manufacturing industries.

· Through the critique of the outcomes of design and technology activity, both historic and present day, students should develop an understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world and understand that high-quality design and technology is important to the creativity, culture, sustainability, wealth and wellbeing of the nation and the global community.

Independent Learning Resources

Key Stage 3

The following websites will be of use to students during the course of KS3, and can be used to explore further the topics studied in class

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zpbc87h

Stepney All Saints School