Some of the projects in Design and Technology at Key Stage Three:

Year 7

• Electronics - Populate a printed circuit board (PCB) and make an electronic moisture tester with packaging
• Materials - Design and make a small jigsaw for a child, using different resistant materials, such as plywood, pine, acrylic and self adhesive vinyl.
• Mechanisms and structure work -Design and make a greetings card for someone, utilising levers and linkages to make the graphics on the front of the card move

Year 8

• Electronic Communication Technology (ECT) - Gain an understanding of digital logic and develop programming skills for controlling systems via micro controllers and computer simulations
• Materials - Design and make a small trophy from mild steel rod in the shape of a character. Which will then be dip coated in thermoplastic powder. The character will then be mounted onto a pine base and a background will be added. Design and make a free standing clock from acrylic that will be line bent and have self adhesive vinyl detail added made on a Stikka machine. CAD/CAM - using a Stikka machine to create a design that is then etched onto a drinking glass
• Pneumatics -Design and make a paper rocket, or car that will be launched / fired using compressed air

Year 9

• Electronic Communication Technology (ECT) - Building upon work done in year 8. You will populate a PCB and make your own system, then program a PIC and download it onto your cyberpet. It is then housed in its own die cut net.
• Resistant Materials - Use comb joints and manufactured board to create an automata which incorporates cams and followers
• Graphic Products - You will be required to devise a corporate identity for a chosen company. You will be using Adobe Photoshop Elements to design the graphics for a promotional drinking glass, and then CAD/CAM to apply detail to the glass which can then be etched using an abrasive oxide.

Many of the Key Stage three projects involve the pupils designing and evaluating their work. Graphics skills are taught throughout

Pupils attend CDT lessons for one hour per week in years 7,8 and 9. You will have the same teacher for the whole year but not necessarily for the following year!

The projects in Year 9 are designed to help the pupil decide which of the GCSE options they would like to do. We currently offer:

• GCSE Electronic Products
• GCSE Resistant Materials
• GCSE Graphic Products