Design Technology

Creativity and innovation

In Design Technology pupils across the year groups have looked at a range of diverse projects, learning skills and becoming adept at using tools and our machinery.

Pre-Prep have designed and made rockets, created a royal carriage, picture frames, wooden puppets and have designed and made board games. Notably year 2 are making good progress on their Trebuchet project.

During the Pre-Prep Technology club, Christmas Wreaths were made followed by animal Pom Poms and now pupils are using papier-mâché to make masks linked to creating emotions.

Year 3 have developed their knowledge of tools and equipment and developed accuracy in their work, applying individual thoughts to their puppet project.

Year 4 completed their first project to make a birdfeeder, working with both wood and metal and we hope some hungry birds benefited over the winter months! Moving on to work on completing glove puppets, pupils’ individual designs have come to the fore.

Year 5 designed and made a ‘steady hand game’ involving working with metal, wood and electronics, pupils looked at a variety of mechanisms whilst developing their accuracy and problem-solving skills.

Year 6 generated a mould for pewter casting learning about the different categories of metals and some of their potential uses. They are now completing the electric buggy project.

Year 7 have developed their design skills in the production of a vacuum forming mould to produce a clock. Through this, they have learnt about plastics and experienced working with a thermoplastic. After experimenting with a variety of wood joints they will select the ones that they wish to include within their own storage design.

Year 8 sought to produce a creative design for a passive amplifier to magnify the sound of a mobile phone. After completing the vacuum formed clock project they moved onto an electronically based project, producing an illuminated thermometer in a creative packaging solution to house it.

Pupils attending Enrichment sessions have been working on restoring some Go Karts. The Greenpower Go Kart, the jewel in the crown, has had many repairs including its steering and braking system. It was discovered that a safety fuse had blown; the battery was proven sound, but the mystery of the overloaded circuit, at the time of writing, needs discovering!