Design & Technology
Philosophy
Design and Technology at Westwood College aims to enable students to use creativity and imagination to generate designs and make prototypes that solve real world problems. Students develop their intellectual curiosity about the design and manufacture of products and systems and their impact on daily life and the wider world. They also expand their capacity to think innovatively and critically through focused research and exploration of design opportunities.
Curriculum Vision
Our aim is to nurture originality, creativity, positivity, logical thinking, visual presentation and clear communication, model making excellence, collaboration and compassion. Resulting in informed solutions through knowledge. During this process the students will learn about the real world of manufacturing, design, marketing and advertising, the psychology of ergonomics and selling, the sociology of mass consumerism, the environmental factors of a modern capitalist society amongst many other topics including a wide variety of materials and manufacturing methods.
Curriculum implementation
Each year students will carry out design and make tasks. In years 9, 10 and 12 this will be structured around multiple projects. In years 11 and 13 it will be based on one project. Year 11 focusses on furniture or lighting design where year 13 moves into an area of conceptual product design.
At GCSE we follow the AQA Design and Technology course and at A-Level we follow the Edexcel Design and Technology course. These two differing exam boards fit perfectly for the creative aesthetic we teach at Westwood.
We offer lunchtime and afterschool design and workshop session, focussing on those crucial GCSE and A-Level making periods.
We have many students who progress to studying for a degree in many areas of design from product, furniture and interior, through graphics, automotive, marketing, advertising and also a considerable number who will go on to study architecture or a range of engineering disciplines.
Learning Journey
Learning Journey Design Year 9