Product Design

Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)

Year 7

Students explore the design movement of Memphis and apply this to design a clock. They will have the opportunity to to develop their ideas through card modelling and gain introductory skills in the workshop, especially in the cutting and shaping of MDF wood. Students will have the opportunity to develop their idea further in CAD to create the numbers and decorations for their clock.

Year 8

Building on design and making skills of the previous year, Yr 8 Students will create a moving LED lamp with elements of 3D printing and CAD inspired by Biomimicry. Students will gain insight to how materials are joined and understand how nature can inspire the aesthetic, functionality and materials used within design.

Year 9

In Yr9 Students will further build on their CAD practice by developing an interactive desk tidy featuring a built in phone stand which is inspired by famous city skylines and their architects. This project aims to encourage design iteration as a result of regularly testing and gaining feedback to further improve their design.

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

Any opportunities your child has to work with their hands - lego, pottery, jewellery making, cardboard modelling, sewing, crocheting, crafting and helping with any DIY, will help build their creativity, confidence and capabilities in Product Design & Textiles. Additionally visiting museums like the Science Museum, The Young V&A, The V&A Collection or the Design Museum will further build their exposure.

Additionally:

Stepney All Saints School