Key Stage Three
At Key Stage 3 we offer our students the opportunity to experience working in a range of different areas. Projects are designed to ensure that students meet the new programmes of study and during each project students are assessed in 3 key skill areas: Design including research, Development including planning, making.
To read about steps to success in Design and Technology, please click on the pdf document (KS3 Steps to success)
Our projects for 2023/2024 are as follows;
Year 7
- Graphics – Paper Engineering
- Computer Aided Design – 2D Design Skills
- Resistant Materials - Travel game
Year 8
- Graphics - Design History
- Resistant Materials - Passive Speaker
- Food Studies - Basic food skills
Year 9
- Graphics -Visual communication, Film Promotion
- Resistant Materials - Skills board
- Food Studies - Food Science and Nutrition
Key Stage Five
A Level Art & Design: Graphic Communication
The OCR A Level Art and Design Graphic Communication specification is designed to encourage learners to develop skills, creativity, imagination and independence based on personal experience, taught skills and critical understanding. Learners show this through their responses to a range of stimuli. The aims and learning outcomes for this qualification is to enable learners to develop:
Intellectual, imaginative, creative and intuitive capabilities
Investigative, analytical, experimental, practical, technical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and critical judgement
Independence of mind in developing, refining and communicating their own ideas, their own intentions and their own personal outcomes
The experience of working with a broad range of media
In Year 12 students are given the opportunity to develop their creative, technical and practical skills through a series of contextual tasks. They also begin work on Component 1- Personal Investigation. This is comprised of two elements; (i) a portfolio of practical work showing their response to either a starting point, brief, scenario or stimulus, devised by the learner and teacher; (ii) a related study: an extended written and illustrated response of a minimum of 1000 words.
Component 1 is worth 60% of the A level and is internally assessed and externally moderated.
In Year 13 students continue with Component 1. They also begin preparation for Component 2- Externally Set Task. The externally set assignment materials are released to learners from 1 February and will consist of a series of visual and written stimuli. This component is also comprised of two elements; (i) preparatory study period: during this time learners will select one chosen stimuli and create a response. Responses are then developed during the preparatory period; (ii) 15 hour sustained focus study: The resolution of learners’ ideas from the preparatory study period must be completed during the designated 15 hours and they must show how their planning relates to the outcome/s.
Component is worth 40% of the A level and is internally assessed and externally moderated.
Learners must complete both components in order to be awarded the A level.