Students will work within at least four different specialist areas of Design and Technology in Year 7 and understand how to apply the design process to design and make products using different materials, ingredients, techniques and processes.

Three-Dimensional Design

What topics will my child study?  

Year 7 3D Design - The specialist rotation is focused around consolidating the learning of Design and Technology at KS2 and preparing students for the KS3 curriculum.

• The work of past and present professionals and others to develop and broaden their understanding.
• The variety of approaches for example biomimicry to generate creative ideas.
• The identification and development of their own design problems.
• Effective communication of design ideas using annotated sketches.
• The use of specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery safely.
• Knowledge of a range of materials, taking into account their properties.
• Development of skills in use of Computer-Aided-Design and differences in computer-aided manufacture techniques.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

Students will investigate the work of influential people within Design and Technology and learn how to identify key design characteristics, strengths and opportunities to incorporate into their own ideas. They will investigate how to create new, original ideas and how to realise them in three-dimensions. The communication of design ideas will be taught through drawing and use of Computer-Aided-Design on a computer.

Students will be able to explain how to use a variety of different hand and machine processes and techniques safely. They will be able to recognise different wood and plastic materials and describe forming / finishing techniques and understand material specific challenges of each.

What homework will they get? 

In the Year 7 3D Design rotation, three homeworks are set to assess Creativity, Knowledge and Skills. Some of this work will investigate the work of people shaping the technological world around us and examining iconic product designs. Within lessons retrieval-based questioning is used to recalling the knowledge they learn in class so they can apply it in their designing and making work.

How will they be assessed? 

• Regular recall tests on knowledge from the lessons.
• A summative assessment at the end of the specialist rotation in design and practical work.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home.
• Help them with homeworks set on developing Creativity, Knowledge and Skills by suggesting examples and checking work to success criteria.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom?

• Year 7 have workshop time to further design and practical work on a Tuesday after school.

Year 7 Food and Nutrition

What topics will my child study?  

Year 7 Food and Nutrition - This specialist rotation is focused around consolidating the learning of Design and Technology at KS2 and preparing students for the KS3 curriculum.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

• Be able to describe the principles of The Eatwell Plate (food and drink)
• Name the main food groups
• Name the main nutrients provided by The Eatwell Guide food groups
• Be able to make a range of dishes during the practical lessons
• Follow a simple recipe, noting its main parts (i.e. ingredients, equipment and method)
• Acquire and demonstrate the following skills:
  • Weigh and measure
  • Use of the hob and oven
  • Knife skills
  • Mix and fold
  • Peel and grate
  • Portion and divide
  • Boil and simmer
• Name and use a range of basic food preparation and equipment
• State why food safety and hygiene are important
• Demonstrate personal hygiene and safe food handling e.g. getting ready to cook, cleaning work surfaces, separating raw and cooked food.
• Carry out simple sensory evaluation

What homework will they get? 

In Year 7 Food rotations, three homeworks are set to assess Creativity, Knowledge and Skills. Some of this work could be adapting a recipe, being able to describe the functions of vitamins and being able to produce a dish at home. Within lessons retrieval-based questioning is used to recalling the knowledge they learn in class so they can apply it in their practical and written work.

How will they be assessed? 

All students will be given a base-line test as the start of Year 7 to help us assess their previous knowledge which will help us to aim our lessons based on prior knowledge.

During practical lessons students are given verbal feedback and are encouraged to reflect on what they have achieved and how they could improve. At the end of the rotation, they will be given a summative assessment.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home by making dishes or practicing skills at home.
• Help them with homeworks set on developing Creativity, Knowledge and Skills by suggesting examples and checking work to success criteria.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.
• Take an interest in watching television programs about cooking
• Give feedback about the dishes that they have cooked and discuss improvements (if any) with your child.

Year 7 Textiles

What topics will my child study?  

The Year 7 Textiles project is designed to introduce students to Textiles at Kingshill School consolidating existing knowledge and skills gained at KS2 and preparing students for further study in KS3. In Year 7 all students will design and make a Crazy Creature Doorstop. Topics of study included in this project are:

• Understanding the importance of following health and safety rules in a practical environment. Being able to identify safety measures for specialist pieces of equipment.
• The names and uses of a range of specialist tools and equipment.
• Gaining an understanding of what Textiles are and their uses in our day to day lives.
• An introduction to the sewing machine and how to use it effectively. All students will have a go at taking a sewing machine driving test.
• How to create a moodboard and how to analyse visual sources to gain inspiration for design ideas.
• Students will learn a range of methods for adding decoration to Textiles products including tie dye, hand embroidery, fabric crayons and appliqué.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

By the end of Year 7 students should have the knowledge and understanding of how to use specialist tools and equipment safely and with developing accuracy. They should be able to name some of the basic parts of the sewing machine such as the needle and presser foot and understand how to operate the sewing machine to sew a straight line, corner and curve successfully. They should have developed a greater understanding of the design process and be able to record their thoughts and ideas through a combination of sketching and annotations.

What homework will they get?

Students will be set homework tasks to support in class learning including gathering images of animals to support and inspire their design work, revision of key concepts and skills and bringing in a 200g bag of rice/ lentils/ sand to be used as a weight in their doorstop.

How will they be assessed? 

Assessment is ongoing throughout the project.

• Students will receive lots of verbal feedback during lessons in order to support and guide them with developing their work.
• Regular recall tests to check understanding and retention of key knowledge talk.
• Threading a sewing needle practical tests!
• A written summative assessment of work at the end of the rotation.
• Peer and self-assessment task during the project.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

Parents can support students by asking them about what they have been doing during their Textiles lessons and seeing if they can recall key facts they have learnt. Support and encouragement with homework tasks (you could even get them practicing threading a sewing needle and tying knots!).

Encourage and support any practical and creative activities and projects at home for example have a go at a Textiles kit, tie dye a T shirt, design something, make a sock monkey.

Ask your child to identify where they can find Textiles product around the home and discuss what they are used for.

Year 8 Design and Technology

Three-Dimensional Design

What topics will my child study?  

The 3D Design specialist rotation in Year 8 is focused around building on the foundation of learning undertaken in Year 7. Students will broaden their knowledge of working to a greater level of accuracy and incorporate computer-aided-design and manufacture into designs solutions.

• The work of past and present professionals and how design characteristics affect form, function and an aesthetic.
• Investigation and analysis of different categories of wood and plastic materials, understanding the differences in properties and structural elements.
• The effective communication of 3D design ideas, understanding oblique, isometric and computer-aided vector line conventions.
• Examination of different construction / joining techniques and use of a cam mechanical system in their product.
• The use of testing and evaluation in the design process and communication of manufacturing processes stages to intended users and other interested groups.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

Students will investigate the work of influential people within Design and Technology and learn how to identify key design characteristics to influence the form and function in their products. They will further develop knowledge from Year 7 in the use of computer-aided-design to draw and manufacture parts of their designs. Students will select from and use a greater number of specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment, machinery and computer-aided-manufacture with confidence and accuracy. They will be able to select from and use a wider, more complex range of materials, taking into account their properties.

What homework will they get? 

In the Year 8 3D Design rotation, three homeworks are set to assess Creativity, Knowledge and Skills. Within lessons retrieval-based questioning is used to recalling the knowledge they learn in class so they can apply it in their designing and making work.

How will they be assessed? 

• Regular recall tests on knowledge from the lessons.
• A summative assessment at the end of the specialist rotation in design and practical work.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home.
• Help them with homeworks set on developing Creativity, Knowledge and Skills by suggesting examples and checking work to success criteria.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom? 

• Year 8 have workshop time to further design and practical work on a Wednesday after school.

Year 8 Food and Nutrition

What topics will my child study?  

The Year 8 Food and Nutrition specialist rotation in Year 8 is focused around building on the foundation of learning undertaken in Year 7. Students will broaden their knowledge of practical skills to enable to prepare and cook a wider range of dishes and to safely use different equipment. 

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

• Students will recall the principles of The Eatwell Guide.
• List potential sources of food safety/poisoning contamination.
• State where food should be stored
• Continue to demonstrate good personal hygiene and safe food handling.
• Be able to demonstrate skills e.g. knife skills, shaping skills, select and adjust a cooking process, preparation of equipment, water-based methods using the hob, dry heat & fat-based methods using the hob, using the oven.
• Create a recipe for a main meal to meet a specific context or occasion.

What homework will they get? 

In Year 8 Food rotations, three homeworks are set to assess Creativity, Knowledge and Skills. Some of this work could be adapting a recipe, being able to describe the functions of vitamins and being able to produce a dish at home. Within lessons, retrieval-based questioning is used to recalling the knowledge they learn in class so they can apply it in their practical and written work.

How will they be assessed? 

During practical lessons students are given verbal feedback and are encouraged to reflect on what they have achieved and how they could improve. At the end of the rotation they will be given a summative assessment.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home by making dishes or practicing skills at home.
• Help them with homeworks set on developing Creativity, Knowledge and Skills by suggesting examples and checking work to success criteria.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.
• Take an interest in watching television programs about cooking
• Give feedback about the dishes that they have cooked and discuss improvements (if any) with your child.

Year 8 Textiles

What topics will my child study?  

In Year 8 Textiles students will be challenged to build on the skills and knowledge which wre acquired in Year 7. In Year 8 we will begin to introduce concepts, ideas and skills which will help to prepare students for GCSE study in KS4. In Year 8 students will be designing and making a reusable shopping bag based on the theme of food. Students will investigate and explore the work of other artists and designers and use this to inform their own designing.

Students will have the opportunity to review and extend their knowledge and skills when using the sewing machine and to learn a range of new Textiles surface decoration skills. This project will encourage a large amount of practical exploration of materials and techniques.

Topics Covered in Year 8 Textiles will include:

• How and why research forms an important part of the design process.
• Learning about and using different research methods to help inspire creative design responses including moodboards, artist and designer research and observational drawing.
• Learning about the work of other artists and designers and how to analyse their work to help inspire their own design ideas.
• Developing a basic knowledge and understanding of colour theory.
• A range of Textiles surface decoration techniques including block print, stencilling, transfer painting, appliqué, trapunto and a very simple patch work.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

By the end of Year 8 students should have knowledge of a range of research methods and understand how research is an important part of the design process. They should be able to use the sewing machine with greater confidence and accuracy. They will have developed an understanding of what colour theory is and how to select colour schemes based on the visual impact that they want their design to have. Students will have had the opportunity to explore a range of Textiles techniques and apply and adapt these to suit their own designs.

What homework will they get? 

Homeworks in Year 8 Textiles are designed to support and extend the learning in lessons including finding out key facts and information related to the Pop Art Movement and its origins, collecting and selecting their own primary research by drawing and photographing food items and reviewing and revising key facts and information.

How will they be assessed? 

Assessment is ongoing throughout the project.

• Students will receive lots of verbal feedback during lessons in order to support and guide them with developing their work.
• Regular recall tests to check understanding and retention of key knowledge talk.
• Threading a sewing needle practical tests
• A written summative assessment of work at the end of the rotation
• Peer and self-assessment task during the project

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

Parents can support students by asking them about what they have been doing during their Textiles lessons and seeing if they can recall key facts they have learnt. Support and encouragement with homework tasks (you could even get them practicing threading a sewing needle and tying knots!).

Encourage and support any practical and creative activities and projects at home for example have a go at a Textiles kit, tie dye a T shirt, design something, make a sock monkey.

Look at the work of other artists and designers with your child and discuss it with them. Encourage your child to find works of art that they like and ask them to explain to you what it is they like about them. You could encourage them to recreate works of art that they like at home using any media you have available. If you have the opportunity to go to an art gallery or exhibition with your child this is a great way to expose them to the work of other artists and designers.

Year 9 Design and Technology

Three-Dimensional Design

What topics will my child study?  

The 3D Design specialist rotation is focused around consolidating the learning of Year 7 and 8 and introducing students to the requirements of the GCSE Art and Design – Three-Dimensional Design course.

• The investigation of different design styles and use of distinguishable design characteristics of past and present design movements.
• Conceptual design and how to use research effectively to identify and understand user needs.
• Using knowledge of the design process developed in Year 7 and 8, students will understand how to reformulate problems given to them and develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to a design brief.
• Use ergonomics in their designs and be able to explain how anthropometric data has been best used for user needs.
• Use a variety of different prototype modelling techniques to test, evaluate and refine their ideas and products against a specification.
• Investigate and understand developments in design and technology, its impact on individuals, society and the environment, and the responsibilities of designers, engineers and technologists.
• Effective communication of design ideas and presentation techniques.
• The use of specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery to a level of precision.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

Students will investigate the work of design movements and learn how to identify key design characteristics to influence the form and function in their products. They will understand the requirements of a GCSE Art and Design - Three-Dimensional Design course and four assessment objectives. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of how to use research to respond to a design brief creatively, taking into account factors like ergonomics in their user needs. Students will be able to select from and use a greater number of specialist tools and techniques for prototype modelling and making with precision.

What homework will they get? 

In the Year 9 3D Design rotation, three homeworks are set to assess Creativity, Knowledge and Skills. Some of this work explores the work of a design company called Alessi to incorporate creativity in design and investigation into product design and evolution. Within lessons retrieval-based questioning is used to recalling the knowledge they learn in class so they can apply it in their designing and making work.

How will they be assessed? 

• Regular recall tests on knowledge from the lessons.
• A summative assessment at the end of the specialist rotation in design and practical work.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home.
• Help them with homeworks set on developing Creativity, Knowledge and Skills by suggesting examples and checking work to success criteria.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom? 

• Year 9 have workshop time to further design and practical work on a Thursday after school.

Year 9 Food and Nutrition

What topics will my child study?  

The Year 9 Food and Nutrition specialist rotation is focused around consolidating the learning of Year 7 and 8 and introducing students to the requirements of the GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition course.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

• Be able to explain the dietary needs of key life stages, e.g. children, young people, adults, older people
• List a range of diet-related health conditions, e.g. obesity, bone disease, heart disease, diabetes
• Use current healthy eating advice to plan a varied balanced diet for one day for themselves
• Be able to practise previously learned skills e.g. knife skills, shaping skills, select and adjust a cooking process, preparation of equipment, water-based methods using the hob, dry heat & fat-based methods using the hob, using the oven.
• Describe the use of the 4C’s in detail, i.e. cleaning, cooking, chilling and cross-contamination
• List the functional qualities of familiar ingredients and how they are used in cooking
• Carry out an experiment to test a hypothesis

What homework will they get? 

In Year 9 Food rotations, three homeworks are set to assess Creativity, Knowledge and Skills. Some of this work could be creating a recipe for a specific need, being able to describe the dietary needs of a particular age group, and being able to produce a dish at home. Within lessons, retrieval-based questioning is used to recalling the knowledge they learn in class so they can apply it in their practical and written work.

How will they be assessed? 

During practical lessons students are given verbal feedback and are encouraged to reflect on what they have achieved and how they could improve.

At the end of the rotation they will be given a summative assessment.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home by making dishes or practicing skills at home.
• Help them with homeworks set on developing Creativity, Knowledge and Skills by suggesting examples and checking work to success criteria.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.
• Take an interest in watching television programs about cooking
• Give feedback about the dishes that they have cooked and discuss improvements (if any) with your child

Year 9 Textiles

What topics will my child study?  

In Year 9 students will build upon the skills and knowledge which they have already acquired in Year 7 and 8 whilst also looking to prepare them for the GCSE Art Textiles specification if they choose to opt for the subject. The Year 9 Textiles project is designed to develop students awareness of the environmental impact of the Fashion and Textiles industry in order to enable them to make more informed decisions as consumers in the future. Through lots of practical exploration students will experiment with a variety of Textiles techniques suitable for recycling and upcycling old Textiles into new desirable projects. Through their practical exploration they will develop designs for a decorated patchwork cushion.

Topics of study in Year 9 include:

• The development of design ideas through experimentation with a variety of materials and techniques.
• The environmental damage caused by the Fashion and Textiles Industry including mismanagement of water usage (The Aral Sea Disaster) and water pollution (Citarum River).
• The origins of denim
• The 6 R’s of sustainability
• Product lifecycles
• Students will learn a variety of Textiles skills and techniques which can be used to reuse, recycle and upcycle old Textiles including Japanese Boro, cut and slash, couching, rag rugging, weaving and patchwork
• The visual presentation of facts and information.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

By the end of the Year 9 Textiles project students should have developed their confidence and accuracy on the sewing machine to carry out more complex skills and techniques. They should be able to explain the damage caused to the environment by the fashion and textiles industry and be able to identify how changing our buying habits can help reduce the impact which we have on the environment. Students will have had the opportunity to experiment with and explore a range of techniques suitable for upcycling old Textiles and be able to apply these to their own design.

What homework will they get? 

Homework in Year 9 Textiles is designed to support and extend the learning in lessons including carrying out a wardrobe survey to find out which countries your clothes were manufactured in and how many miles they have travelled and reviewing and revising key knowledge to be tested at the beginning of lessons to aid recall.

How will they be assessed? 

• Students will receive lots of verbal feedback during lessons in order to support and guide them with developing their work.
• Regular recall tests to check understanding and retention of key knowledge talk.
• Threading a sewing needle practical tests
• A written summative assessment of work at the end of the rotation
• Peer and self-assessment task during the project

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

Parents can support students by asking them about what they have been doing during their Textiles lessons and seeing if they can recall key facts they have learnt.

Encourage and support any practical and creative activities and projects at home can you upcycle some old clothing or make something decorative using old scraps of fabric? Watch the upcycling section of The Great British Sewing Bee for inspiration.

Discuss environmental issue with your child and do some further research together into the environmental impacts of the fashion and textiles industry and climate change.

Some interesting home learning resources can be found here: https://practicalaction.org/schools/

Some more interesting reading can be found here: https://traid.org.uk/resources/

Year 10 GCSE Art and Design - Three-Dimensional Design

What topics will my child study?

In terms 1 and 2 students will explore a variety of different 2D mark making and 3D making techniques. Students will acquire and develop technical skills through working with a broad range of media, materials, techniques, processes and technologies with purpose and intent.

In terms 3, 4 and 5, students will undertake a sustained project using the starting point of a past and contemporary design styles. Students will use their knowledge of the design process to respond to starting outcome with a three-dimensional outcome.

• Design Styles and movements from the last 100 years.
• Effective communication of conceptual design, drawing design ideas and presentation techniques.
• Exploration of artists such as Banksy and Damien Hirst in three-dimensional outcomes.
• The use of techniques, processes like mould making, vacuum forming, plaster/concrete casting and printing. Develop confidence in taking risks and learn from experience when exploring and experimenting with ideas, processes, materials and techniques.
• A major project – responding to a starting point and developing creative, imaginative and intuitive capabilities when exploring and making design work, prototypes and products.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

In their Component 1 (portfolio) body of work, students will have demonstrated how they have developed responses to initial starting points and project briefs and realise intentions informed by research.

Students will demonstrate how they have brought together the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired at Key Stage 3 and during their course of study. They will be able to develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating understanding of sources and how they have applied their findings in their own work. Knowledge will be developed and understanding of historical and contemporary contexts used to refine ideas and personal outcomes with increasing independence.

What homework will they get? 

Homework each week will be set to finish and further exploration of knowledge and evidence for the four assessment criteria. Some of the work will require students to investigate the work or other artists and designers and experiment with ways to be show how ideas can be influenced by them in different mediums and materials.

How will they be assessed? 

Component 1 work worth 60% of the qualification is assessed to the following assessment objectives.

• Assessment Objective 1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.
• Assessment Objective 2: Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
• Assessment Objective 3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
• Assessment Objective 4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to be proactive and organised in their approach to completing and furthering work for their portfolios at home.
• Encourage them to develop and broaden design and practical experience at home.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom? 

• Year 10 have workshop time to further design and practical work on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school.

Year 10 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition

What topics will my child study?  

Year 10 Food and Nutrition will equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. Our curriculum will encourage students to cook and enable them to make informed decisions about a wide range of further learning opportunities and career pathways as well as develop vital life skills that enable them to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life.

Areas of content

1. Food commodities (food groups)
2. Principles of nutrition
3. Diet and good health
4. The science of food
5. Where food comes from
6. Cooking and food preparation

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year? 

• Be able to demonstrate effective and safe cooking skills by planning, preparing and cooking a variety of food commodities whilst using different cooking techniques and equipment.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties and chemical characteristics of food as well as a sound knowledge of the nutritional content of food and drink.
• Understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health.
• Understand the economic, environmental, ethical and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, diet and health choices.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving food.
• Understand and explore a range of ingredients and processes from different culinary traditions (traditional British and international) to inspire new ideas or modify existing recipes.

What homework will they get? 

Homework will be set each week and will involve embedding knowledge gained in class using worksheets, practising practical skills, researching recipes, investigating the functions of ingredients, evaluating practical lessons and exam paper practice.

How will they be assessed? 

During practical lessons students are given verbal feedback and are encouraged to reflect on what they have achieved and how they could improve.

At the end of the rotation they will be given a summative assessment. During this year the students will be given a mock NEA 1 (Non-Exam Assessment) and NEA 2 to help them prepare for Year 11.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home by making dishes or practicing skills at home.
• Help them with being proactive with keeping deadlines for homework hand-ins.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.
• Take an interest in watching television programs about cooking.
• Give feedback about the dishes that they have cooked and discuss improvements (if any) with your child.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom?

On Tuesday after school, a ‘catch-up’ club for any students who need extra help or just time to get up-to-date with any work they may have missed is available.

Year 10 GCSE Art and Design – Textiles 

In Year 10 and 11 students study the AQA Art and Design Textiles GCSE course. The GCSE is split into two areas of assessment:

Component 1 60% Consists of a sketchbook of work and accompanying final pieces. Students work on Component 1 from the beginning of Year 10 up until Christmas in Year 11. To meet the requirements of this component students will work through a variety of projects designed to build their skills and confidence and to evidence the four assessment objectives against which the course is assessed.

Component 2 40% In Term 3 in Year 11 students will be given an exam paper which contains a range of starting points for students to choose from for the exam component of the course. The exam component of the course will consist of a sketchbook of preparatory research, design and development and a final piece the majority of which will be completed under exam conditions in a 10 hour practical exam.

What topics will my child study?

In Year 10 students will work through the following projects. The projects are designed to develop students skills and knowledge in Textiles and enable them to develop confidence and independence. Projects are designed to enable students to create evidence for the four assessment objectives which they will be assessed on for both Component 1 and Component 2 of the course.

Terms 1 & 2: Colour Projects

In terms 1&2 students will work on some short projects based on the theme of colour. They will begin by exploring colour theory and experimenting with a variety of techniques for adding colour and print to fabrics. Leading on from this they will design and make a colour blocked hoodie inspired by the work of graphic designer Morag Myerscough. In this project students will learn how to analyse the work of another artist/ designer and use this to enable them to develop their own design ideas as a creative response to their work Students will learn garment pattern making and construction skills as they adapt a basic hoodie template to create their own design and make their own hoodie using panelling and appliqué.

Terms 3- 6 Extended Project

In terms 3- 6 students will work on an extended project. In this project they will work through the entire design journey from starting point to creating a final piece. Students will be given a selection of starting points to choose from they will then carry out relevant research including looking at the work of other artists and designers, experimentation with a range of textiles techniques, design and develop design ideas through sketching modelling and further experimentation and develop and make a final piece in response to their chosen starting point. Students will be encouraged to take their design journey in whatever direction they choose during this project selecting research and techniques which are relevant to their chosen idea and intentions. In lessons students will get individual support and guidance based on their individual project work and needs.

What homework will they get? 

Homework is ongoing throughout Year 10 & 11 students will be expected to spend time each week ensuring that sketchbook work is kept up to date and completed. Homework may take the form of completing a page begun in a lesson, gathering research, completing design sketches or sourcing fabric. Students should expect to be spending an hour each week working on their Textiles at home. It is vital that students stay on top of their sketchbook work as falling behind can lead to problems later on in the course and a lack of evidence for assessment.

How will they be assessed? 

Component 1 work worth 60% and Component 2 worth 40% of the qualification are assessed against the following assessment objectives.

• Assessment Objective 1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.
• Assessment Objective 2: Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
• Assessment Objective 3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
• Assessment Objective 4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.

For component 1 students work is marked holistically at the end of the course and an overall mark given.

Students will receive verbal feedback on their work and progress each lesson with ideas and advice for how to improve their work or next steps to take. The aim is for every student to get some personalised feedback on their work each lesson. Work will be collected in and marked against the assessment objectives at regular intervals with written feedback given.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

Parents can support their child by talking to them about their work and looking through their sketchbook with them regularly to see and discuss their progress. Students will need to work on sketchbooks at home so it would be advantageous to students to have access to some basic equipment such as scissors, a glue stick, a pencil, fineliners, colouring pencils and pens in order for them to be able to work independently on their sketchbooks at home.

Please support and encourage your child to work on their sketchbook at home and to attend Textiles catch up sessions regularly to get extra support and time to work on their sketchbooks and practical work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom?

Textiles catch up sessions are available every week at lunchtimes and after schools (days to be advised)

Year 11 GCSE Art and Design - Three-Dimensional Design

What topics will my child study?

In terms 1 and 2 students will complete a mock examination in preparation for undertaking Component 2 (externally set assignment). Students will respond to a choice of three different starting point provided by AQA in previous years. This response provides evidence of the student’s ability to work independently within specified time constraints, realise intentions that are personal and meaningful and explicitly address the requirements of all four assessment objectives. In terms 3-5, the starting points will be provided by AQA at the start of the year and students will undertake the Component 2 externally set assignment.

• Develop ideas through investigations and three-dimensional practical experimentations.
• Observational drawing, conceptual design, recording and presentation of ideas.
• Two and three-dimensional design development and refinement work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate materials, techniques and processes.
• Two-dimensional surface decoration technique experimentation.
• The selection and use of specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery precisely, including computer-aided manufacture to present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

In their Component 2 (externally set assignment) body of work, students will have demonstrated how they have developed responses to initial starting points provided by the examination board and how they have realised their intentions informed by research.

Students will have developed the ability to work independently within specified time constraints, realise intentions that are personal and meaningful and explicitly address the requirements of all four assessment objectives.

What homework will they get? 

Homework each week will be set to finish and further exploration of knowledge and evidence for the four assessment criteria. Some of the work will require students to investigate the work or other artists and designers and experiment with ways to be show how ideas can be influenced by them in different mediums and materials.

How will they be assessed? 

Component 2 work worth 40% of the qualification is assessed to the following assessment objectives.

• Assessment Objective 1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.
• Assessment Objective 2: Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
• Assessment Objective 3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
• Assessment Objective 4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?

• Encourage them to be proactive and organised in their approach to completing and furthering work for their portfolios at home.
• Encourage them to use the step-by-step instruction guide to completing Component 2 successfully.
• Encourage them to develop and broaden design and practical experience at home.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom? 

• Year 11 have workshop time to further design and practical work on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school.

Year 11 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition

What topics will my child study?  

In Year 11 students will be mainly involved in preparing for the NEA 1 (Non-Exam Assessment) Food Investigation which will start at the end of September. Students will be given a food investigation task where they will research the functions and chemical properties of an ingredient, as set by the examination board. This will take place over 3 weeks.

Once that has been completed, students will practice some high-skills cooking before beginning the NEA 2 which will normally take place over 6 weeks before culminating in a 3-hour practical exam where students will cook 3 dishes, plus accompaniments, and present them to a professional standard.

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?  

By the end of the year, students will have demonstrated their ability to work independently to carry out and analyse the results of the NEA 1 food investigation exam. They will also be able to research, prepare, cook, present and evaluate to a high standard the dishes that they will have cooked for their NEA 2 exam.

What homework will they get? 

The homework in Year 11 will mainly consist of research and writing up the results and analysing the experiments and evaluating the food trials that they will have carried out.

How will they be assessed? 

Assessment 1: The Food Investigation Assessment             15% of total qualification

A Food Investigation will be set that will require each learner to:

1. Research and plan a task
2. Investigate the working characteristics, function and chemical properties of ingredients through practical experimentation and use the              findings to achieve a particular result
3. Analyse and evaluate the task

1. Produce a report which evidences all the above and includes photographs and/or visual recordings to support the investigation

   This document will generally consist of 6-8 sides of A4 to include photographs and charts. 

Assessment 2: The Food Preparation Assessment               35% of total qualification

This assessment assesses the application of knowledge and understanding in relation to    selecting dishes and identifying cooking skills/techniques and the execution of practical skills. 

This assessment will require learners to research, plan, prepare, cook, present and evaluate a selection of dishes, to meet particular requirements such as dietary need, lifestyle choice or specific context.

This document will generally consist of between 20 and 30 side of A4 to include photographs and charts.

Assessment 3: Written Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes    50% of total qualification

       This is a written examination which will allow the students to show off the knowledge and understanding of nutrition, the properties and functions of ingredients and how to achieve a balanced diet to suit all ethical and medical diets.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

• Encourage them to develop and broaden practical ability at home by making dishes or practicing skills at home.
• Help them with being proactive with keeping deadlines for homework hand-ins.
• Encourage them to use the key words and vocabulary they have learnt from the Knowledge Organiser in their own work.
• Take an interest in watching television programs about cooking
• Give feedback about the dishes that they have cooked and discuss improvements (if any) with your child

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom? 

On Tuesday after school, a ‘catch-up’ club for any students who need extra help or just time to get up-to-date with any work they may have missed is available.

Year 11 GCSE Art and Design – Textiles 

In Year 10 and 11 students study the AQA Art and Design Textiles GCSE course. The GCSE is split into two areas of assessment:

 Component 1 60% Consists of a sketchbook of work and accompanying final pieces. Students work on Component 1 from the beginning of Year 10 up until Christmas in Year 11. To meet the requirements of this component students will work through a variety of projects designed to build their skills and confidence and to evidence the four assessment objectives against which the course is assessed.

Component 2 40% In Term 3 in Year 11 students will be given an exam paper which contains a range of starting points for students to choose from for the exam component of the course. The exam component of the course will consist of a sketchbook of preparatory research, design and development and a final piece the majority of which will be completed under exam conditions in a 10 hour practical exam.

What topics will my child study?  

In Year 11 the focus in Textiles is upon preparing students for their Textiles exam (worth 40% of their final grade. They will complete a mock project in the first two terms up to Christmas to give them the experience of what the 10 hour practical exam will be like. After Christmas in Year 11 students will be working on their preparatory work for their practical exam.

Terms 1& 2- Mock Project

In terms 1&2 students will work on a mock exam project. The outcome of this mock exam will go towards their 60% Component 1 Controlled Assessment mark. Students will be given starting points from past exam papers to choose from. They will then work through their own individual design journey creating a sketchbook of work documenting relevant research undertaken (to include the analysis of other artists and designers work), the development of ideas through experimentation with a wide range of techniques and materials, the development of a creative design proposal (including sketching, modelling and further practical experimentation. They will prepare a final practical piece to be produced during a 5 hour mock exam. The mock exam gives students the opportunity to experience of what it is like to work in Textiles under exam conditions of a whole day, plus allows them to see how much they can achieve within the time frame. The work produced for this mock project will be submitted and assessed as part of component 1.

Terms 3&4- Component 2 Exam

As soon as they return from the Christmas break students will be given their Art and Design Textiles exam paper. This paper set by the exam board (AQA) contains seven different starting points which students can choose from. Students must choose one of these starting points then produce a sketchbook of work documenting their design journey from initial research, development work through experimentation with a wide range of materials and techniques, design sketches, modelling and design development. They will prepare a final piece for their chosen project the majority of which will be completed during a 10 hour practical exam.

What homework will they get? 

Homework is ongoing throughout Year 10 & 11 students will be expected to spend time each week ensuring that sketchbook work is kept up to date and completed. Homework may take the form of completing a page begun in a lesson, gathering research, completing design sketches or sourcing fabric. Students should expect to be spending an hour each week working on their Textiles at home. It is vital that students stay on top of their sketchbook work as falling behind can lead to problems later on in the course and a lack of evidence for assessment.

How will they be assessed? 

Component 1 work worth 60%  and Component 2 worth 40% of the qualification are assessed against the following assessment objectives.

• Assessment Objective 1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.
• Assessment Objective 2: Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.
• Assessment Objective 3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
• Assessment Objective 4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.

For component 1 students work is marked holistically at the end of the course and an overall mark given.

Students will receive verbal feedback on their work and progress each lessons with ideas and advice for how to improve their work or next steps to take. The aim is for every students to get some personalised feedback on their work each lesson. Work will be collected in and marked against the assessment objectives at regular intervals with written feedback given.

At the end of the Textiles course all work will be marked by the class teacher then go through a rigorous moderation process in conjunction with the teachers of Art, 3D Design and photography. Work will then be moderated by an external moderator.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject? 

Parents can support their child by talking to them about their work and looking through their sketchbook with them regularly to see and discuss their progress. Students will need to work on sketchbooks at home so it would be advantageous to students to have access to some basic equipment such as scissors, a glue stick, a pencil, fineliners, colouring pencils and pens in order for them to be able to work independently on their sketchbooks at home.

Please support and encourage your child to work on their sketchbook at home and to attend Textiles catch up sessions regularly in order to get extra support and time to work on their sketchbooks and practical work.

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom? 

Textiles catch up sessions are available every week at lunchtimes and after schools (days advertised in our Extend programme).